A plant that is non native I had been raising inside suddenly popped up in my wildflower border and is growing is it safe for Wildlife and the natural environment as a non native species or would it be wise to remove it? I didn’t intend for it to escape into the garden and I don’t know how it got there what should I do?
Personally, I would err on the side of caution, remove as much of the plant as possible (including roots) and burn it. Doing this before it seeds would be preferable.
The BSBI database has no records of Canavalia ensiformis growing wild in Britain. (It has 9 records for Canavalia rosea, all from the north coast of Cornwall - which makes me wonder whether the origin is from drift seeds, rather than garden escapes.)
As a tropical plant I would have expected it to have problems with British winters, but Wikipedia says that it’s hardy down to -10C. It is somewhat toxic when not properly cooked, but I wouldn’t have thought that it’s a single plant is a significant danger. But if you don’t want it there there’s nothing to stop you digging it up (and perhaps bringing it inside in a pot).
