'Wildwashing' in the garden: Why wildflower mixes may do more harm than good

generic wine wild flower seed mixes assure an soft way of life to help pollinators and ecosystems, but many may have potentially harmful non-native species.

"They're wild somewhere on planet Earth," Bizecki Robson said. "But not necessarily here."

Her worry isn't just where the plants came from — it's what they could become.

Manitoba regulates 90 noxious weeds — plants deemed a threat to agriculture, the environment or public health.

While none of the species Bizecki Robson reviewed were on Manitoba's noxious weeds list, she said gardeners buying wildflower mixes should still be cautious.

Invasive plants, which spread aggressively and outcompete others, are always non-native, though not all non-native plants become invasive.

Ash Burkowski, owner of Northern Wildscapes Plants and Design, a home-based native plant nursery in Winnipeg, says certain wildflower species are getting out of control.

Some of the more prominent invasive species found in wildflower mixes are the ox-eye daisy, tansy and baby's breath — all on the province's list of noxious weeds. Burkowski says such invasive species are gradually getting worse since some people are actively spreading them.

It's "becoming a definite … ecosystem issue right now" for native prairie habitat, said Burkowski, noting that less than one per cent of the native tall grass prairie that used to exist in Manitoba remains today.

"So, you know, these habitats getting invaded by various invasive species is really detrimental."

Be on the lookout for invasive plant species, Manitobans warned

Burkowski said avoiding problematic species in the first place is key, because once they're planted, the seeds can spread through wind, animals or human activity.

"Lots of people say, 'Oh, I like it, it's pretty, it's not invasive in my yard,'" she said. "But birds eat the seeds. Seeds can spread on wind, they can spread on animals."

While not every invasive species immediately causes issues, Marika Olynyk, a curator at the Living Prairie Museum — a prairie preserve in Winnipeg — warns that once established, they become extremely difficult to get rid of and can easily spread into new areas.

The consequences to both the environment and the economy can be significant.

According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, invasive plants in crops and pastures cost an estimated $2.2 billion annually due to crop production and quality damage, and increased costs for weed control.

Both Olynyk and Burkowski say the term "wildflower" has become misleading, since it could refer to flowers from anywhere.

"[It] doesn't actually mean anything," said Olynyk. "I think the words people want to be looking for are 'local' or … 'native prairie,' that kind of stuff."

Native plant species are what help with local ecosystems and pollinators. The Manitoba Museum's Bizecki Robson doesn't want people to engage in what she calls "wildwashing" — similar to greenwashing, meaning efforts to make something seem more environmentally friendly than it is.

People often believe anything labelled as a "wildflower" will be good for the environment, when that may not be the case for a non-native species, she said.

Northern Wildscapes owner Burkowski said when it comes to wildflower seed mixes, she looks at the pack to see which flowers are included.

"There's only been once where I picked it up and I went, 'Yeah, this is OK' … or there wasn't something in there that wasn't concerning."

An Invasive Species Council of British Columbia assessment of 16 seed distributors in 2022 showed each had at least one invasive seed variety. They were sold in unmixed packs or wildflower mixes, and few companies included warnings about invasive species.

Bizecki Robson said gardeners should take their time when buying seed mixes. She suggests they take a picture of the pack, see which species are included and then figure out if they're native to Manitoba.

If you need a place to start with native plants to begin your garden, Burkowski suggests starting with species such as milkweed that support monarch butterflies — a popular focus for many gardeners.

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