13 Popular Plants That Attract More Weeds Than Beauty

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There are some plants that look so beautiful but they bring more trouble than they’re worth. At first glance, these plants may seem like a good thing, but they are the party host who leaves the door wide open for all kinds of uninvited company.

In this article, we’ll take a look at some common plants that might attract weeds faster than you can say, “I should have planted something else.” If you’re trying to keep your garden looking neat, don’t add them to your yard.

Morning Glory

Morning Glory can become a lovely vine, but it grows out of control very easily. Weeds love to find an easy home under its tangled leaves as it wraps around anything in sight, making it difficult to keep things in order.

Bamboo

While bamboo may conjure tropical vibes, its fast growth helps turn your yard into a jungle full of weeds. Bamboo shoots spread quickly and aggressively, providing a cover for weeds that will be almost impossible to remove without a lot of work.

Creeping Charlie

Photo Credit: Jay Sturner/Wikimedia Commons

It’s called Creeping Charlie, and you can guess it’s a bit of a troublemaker. This ground cover spreads like wildfire and weeds grow in its perfect shelter. You let Charlie in, and it’s hard to show weeds the door out.

English Ivy

a close up of a plant — Photo Credit: Pexels

While Ivy seem like a romantic plant when growing up walls or trees, it also brings with it a whole host of other plants, including weeds, to grow alongside it. It is a weed’s dream habitat, as the thick, sprawling growth of English Ivy makes it hard to keep your garden tidy.

Nasturtium

At first glance, this bright, edible flower seems like a good idea, but its fast spreading vines are a magnet for weeds. Nasturtium is a space hog, so it’s easy for the weeds to come sneaking in and fill up the crowded ground.

Creeping Jenny

If you decide to add Creeping Jenny to your garden, she will be fun, but her low growing nature provides perfect cover for weeds. Once Jenny starts creeping, you’ll be spending more time pulling out weeds than enjoying her bright green leaves.

Clover

A soft, green carpet in your yard, clover can be, but it’s a carpet that quickly invites other, less welcome plants. It’s good for covering ground, but the minute weeds get wind of it, they’ll move in as if they’ve found the perfect house on the market.

Bishops Weed

Photo Credit: H. Zell/ Wikimedia Commons

Bishops Weed is anything but saintly despite its innocent name. It spreads rapidly once planted, and once it’s there, it will take up every inch of available space, leaving weeds an open invitation to settle in without much resistance.

Lamb’s Ear

Lamb’s Ear might look soft and silvery, but its dense foliage can hide all sorts of unwanted intruders. Lamb’s Ear provides cover for weeds, and before long they will move in to your flower bed.

Daylilies

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Thick and quick growing, daylilies are one of many beautiful plants that create great hiding places for weeds. You admire their bright flowers while weeds are taking over the spaces between them.

Vinca (Periwinkle)

Vinca is a popular ground cover that can become a real spreader, especially in shady areas. Its trailing vines are thick, the perfect place for weeds to slip through unnoticed, and it’s a bit of a nightmare to keep a garden up to date.

Raspberry Bushes

Sweet berries are easy to produce on raspberry bushes, but their thorny, fast growing stems make it difficult to spot and pull weeds. These bushes are a weed’s best friend and before you know it you’ll be wrestling with thorns just to clean up your garden.

Mint

Photo Credit: Commonists/Wikimedia Commons

While mint may smell fresh and give your lemonade a kick, according to Better Homes & Gardens, it’s famous for taking over gardens. This fast spreading plant makes a dense ground cover that weeds love to hide in. Before you know it, you will have a jungle of mint and unwanted green stragglers.

Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.