No-dodendron! Garden centre visitors urged to report stores still selling damaging invasive plant

By LETTICE BROMOVSKY, NEWS REPORTER Published: 21:16, 15 July 2026 | Updated: 21:16, 15 July 2026 A leading conservation charity has launched a public appeal to identify Scottish garden centres still selling a highly invasive plant blamed for damaging some of the country’s most precious woodlands. The Woodland Trust Scotland is asking members of the public to report sightings of Rhododendron ponticum being offered for sale, warning that the ornamental shrub is continuing to spread despite millions of pounds being spent tackling its impact in the countryside. The plant, which was introduced to Britain from Asia centuries ago as a decorative garden shrub, has since escaped into the wild, where it forms dense thickets that smother native species and threaten Scotland’s ancient woodland habitats. Conservationists say the species is particularly damaging to Scotland’s temperate rainforest, where it can prevent native trees and plants from regenerating and contribute to long-term ecological decline. The charity says a legal loophole means it is currently possible to buy and plant Rhododendron ponticum in private gardens, even though allowing it to spread in the wild is already an offence. Woodland Trust Scotland Policy & Advocacy Manager Simon Ritchie said: ‘It is already an offence to allow ponticum to grow in the wild, but perfectly legal to plant it in your garden from where its seeds can spread freely. That’s exactly what has happened historically. ‘Some may say the horse has already bolted and it’s not worth shutting the stable door - the problem is out there already, not being planted. But we disagree - we are spending millions of pounds as a country mopping up a mess without first switching off the tap. It is insanity and grossly irresponsible in our duty to future generations. ‘A voluntary approach to tackling this problem of invasive rhododendron has had limited success. Gardeners have been encouraged to choose other shrubs for their gardens, and garden centres have been discouraged from selling it. Yet it’s still being sold, still being planted, and still spreading. We think the time for further action is now.’ A rhododendron bush in the grounds of a National Trust garden The campaign comes as the Scottish Liberal Democrats backed a ban on the sale of Rhododendron ponticum as part of their 2026 Scottish election manifesto, pledging to ‘ban the sale of invasive and damaging rhododendron ponticum’ as part of plans to increase woodland cover. Andrew Baxter MSP, the Scottish Lib Dem Rural Affairs spokesperson told the Daily Mail: ‘Banning the sale of invasive and damaging rhododendron ponticum would be a sensible step. This plant is toxic to sheep and does huge damage to Scotland’s native woodlands by degrading soil and blocking out light. ‘What’s more it is now costing taxpayers millions to control. I wouldn’t want to see anyone harassing garden centre staff but if this is about building up knowledge about where these plants are being sold then that seems sensible too.’ The Woodland Trust Scotland says the public can play a key role by helping build a picture of how widely the plant is still being sold. Mr Ritchie added: ‘The public can help protect Scotland’s environment by reporting places ponticum is being sold to us. 'We want to work with the garden centres, not against them, but that starts by building evidence of the scale of the problem. We know ponticum is being sold out there - we just don’t know how much. ‘Ultimately we’d like to see a change in the law to have its sale banned. But alongside that, we want garden centres to have nothing to do with ponticum. Other Rhodis can be fine, unless they’re hybridised or use ponticum rootstock.’ The charity is also urging gardeners to check whether other rhododendron varieties have been grafted onto ponticum rootstock or hybridised with the invasive species, warning these plants can pose similar risks.