Episode Details

A tough, invasive shrub called Polygala—sold as “sweet pea shrub”—is taking over Australia’s coastlines, choking out native plants and turning ecosystems into a battle zone. Despite being flagged by the Invasive Species Council as a major environmental threat, it’s still for sale at big retailers like Bunnings, echoing past failures with plants like gazania. Volunteers call it “the beast,” struggling to remove it manually or with herbicides, while scientists race to find a biological control from its South African homeland. The Council argues Australia’s weed list is outdated and dangerously fragmented, leaving future generations to clean up the mess—starting with this unstoppable plant.

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