Garden Flower Gardens 9 Flowers You Should Never Plant in Your Garden, According to Experts Whether invasive, toxic, or otherwise unwelcome, keep these flowers out of your yard. By Samantha Johnson Samantha Johnson Samantha Johnson writes about the happy things in life—pets, gardening, home, family, food, and farm life—and thinks Mondays are the most wonderful day of the week. She spends her spare time reading seed catalogs and taking photos of her napping Corgi. She has over 20 years of gardening experience and is the author of nearly two dozen books. Editorial Guidelines Published on November 9, 2024 Close Photo: Getty / Natalia Ganelin Flowers fill homes and gardens with color, fragrance, and beauty. Plus, they are an important nectar source for essential pollinators like birds and bees. That said, there are some flowers you should never plant in your yard or garden. From toxic species to varieties known for their invasive nature, we're sharing the flowers experts urge against growing in your landscape. Kathy Jentz, host of the GardenDC podcast and author of Groundcover Revolution Jan Johnsen, landscape designer and author of Gardentopia: Design Basics for Creating Beautiful Outdoor Spaces 8 Trees You Should Never Plant in Your Yard, According to an Arborist 01 of 09 Japanese Honeysuckle saraTM / Getty Images Even though Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) is an attractive vine with eye-catching foliage and unique, elaborate blossoms, you don’t want this invasive plant in your yard. Japanese honeysuckle spreads from seeds and rhizomes and can rapidly climb trees, shrubs, and plants—sometimes to staggering heights. When climbing, it can tightly wind itself around other plants, eventually choking them and potentially killing the plant or tree. Japanese honeysuckle is especially an issue in the eastern half of the U.S., particularly in the southeast. If you're looking for a decorative vine to incorporate into your landscaping, try something non-invasive like cross vine. 02 of 09 Gooseneck Loosestrife Carol Cinca / 500px / Getty Images While there’s no denying that gooseneck loosestrife (Lysimachia clethroides) is a charming plant with sweet white flowers that resemble a goose's neck, it's also widely recognized as a troublesome invasive. "It looks great in bouquets, but it's quite aggressive in the garden. I learned that the hard way," says landscape designer and author Jan Johnsen. 03 of 09 Blue Violet Billy_Fam / Getty Images Ground cover plants have their uses. In shady areas where lawn grass may struggle to grow, a ground cover can give you a unified green appearance, and they're useful on slopes that are too steep to mow. Blue violets (Viola sororia) can make a lovely flowering ground cover but if they get loose in your grass lawn, they can be a nuisance. While harmless and nontoxic, violets can still be a lawn pest if you dislike small flowers interfering with your grass. 15 Beautiful Ground Cover Plants That Keep the Weeds Away 04 of 09 Lesser Celandine Albert Fertl / Getty Images Cheerful yellow flowers are the hallmark of lesser celandine (Ficaria verna), but this flower has a caveat. "One invasive flower I'd avoid planting is lesser celandine," says podcast host and author Kathy Jentz. "It is incredibly hard to remove and can quickly spread over a cultivated garden area." Sometimes called a "fig buttercup," lesser celandine has pleasant blossoms and shiny leaves. Despite its beauty, this flower rushes to out-compete many lawn or ground cover plants you try to grow. It spreads underground through small bulb-like tubers that spread even more when disturbed. 05 of 09 Wisteria Getty / Natalia Ganelin Long admired for its beauty as a vining plant, wisteria (Wisteria sinensis) looks beautiful when growing on architectural elements in the garden or around the home. But unfortunately, wisteria is considered an invasive plant and, if left unchecked, can harm trees. "I'm not a fan of either English ivy or Asian wisteria," says Jentz. "I have battled both for many years in my home garden, and they are difficult to control and eradicate once they have a toe-hold." She recommends looking for an alternative option, such as native American wisteria cultivars like 'Amethyst Falls' and other forms of ornamental ivy. "They are much slower growing and garden-friendly," says Jentz. 10 Shade-Loving Shrubs That Will Add Dimension to Your Yard 06 of 09 Belladonna REDA / Getty Images Belladonna, also known as deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna), is a flowering shrub you won't want to include in your garden because it's extremely toxic. It’s not a plant you want in your garden or yard, as it's toxic even to the touch. Besides its toxicity, belladonna isn’t a particularly unique or attractive-looking shrub; the foliage, blossoms, and berries are all somewhat nondescript. There are better (and safer!) flowers to plant instead. 07 of 09 English Ivy Colors Hunter / Chasseur de Couleurs / Getty Images Climbing flowering vines can look great in the right spot. But English ivy (Hedera helix) is something to avoid. Not only are the leaves poisonous to humans and pets, but the vine itself is invasive and can spread disease to trees. If you really want a cover vine, there are more useful options than English ivy. "An idea for an English ivy substitute with a similar look is the native vine Virginia creeper," says Jentz. Virginia Creeper grows a thick cover, and the leaves turn a wonderful bright red in the autumn. Why Is Lantana a Problem? The Surprising Truth About This Prolific Flower 08 of 09 Foxglove itsabreeze photography / Getty Images Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) is a beautiful flower with downward-pointing bell-like blossoms reminiscent of columbine. Some gardeners use foxglove in borders or as a colorful showpiece. But all the beauty notwithstanding, you might want to avoid planting foxglove because it's toxic to humans and pets. Simply touching the plant can cause skin irritation, while ingestion or absorption can cause health issues. As an alternative, snapdragons have a very similar appearance to foxglove. 09 of 09 Monkshood Razvan / Getty Images Although undeniably beautiful, monkshood (Aconitum napellus) is an extremely toxic plant. Due to its toxicity, it's not a good choice for a home garden where children and pets can easily access it. Snapdragons are a non-toxic option that gives the same visual effect as monkshood. 15 Flowers to Plant in Spring That Will Fill Your Yard With Color and Fragrance Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit