It is certainly a matter of preference in some cases. I have a lot of smilax and I remove it because I find that it grows fast and latches onto other stuff (pulling them down unless they are woody) plus it is prickly.

Helianthus of all kinds are pretty in bloom but quite aggressive in the garden. Perfect for when you have a big space to fill up, though. And you can eat the extras.

I am not familiar with common milkweed (we have A. tuberosa mostly), but it does have certain wildlife benefits (as do these all). And yes, some people are fond of Pokeweed and keep it while others remove it.

I think container gardening or barriers would only matter for the first two plants. The other two spread by seed.

I have done some traveling and have seen smilax used as an ornamental,but,agreeing with Esh, I try to get it out. (It doesn't respond well to Roundup...need to dig it or cut it back quite a few years in a row until it gives up!) The larger sunflowers can be kept smaller by cutting back in June. They will still bloom, but that is extra work. Either put them in the back of the garden and enjoy, or don't use at all. I took out some of my common milkweed and am sorry now...wish I had it back. I used to have many more butterflies. I kept my pokeweed for years because the critters liked it so much, but I finally gave up because I kept finding too many seedlings around. Again, it made more work for me. I have recently seen, however, a variegated version that nurseries are selling, and it looks good. I think you are supposed to keep it cut back. Allof these plants are good for wildlife, so I imagine your decisions need to be based on a compromise on your amount of work and how you feel about "critters."

The milkweed will spread by underground runners. Install some time of deep barrier to contain it.

The milkweed is popular with butterflies. I do a wildflower survey in a park meadow and have for seven years and it doesn't seem to take over. The other three I would not want. Especially the greenbriar which is kind of vicious.

Laogooli-

I can offer my view on two of these plants. We seem to have similar goals- use native plants while providing wildlife-friendly plants.

Smilax- I recently found this growing in my woodland garden, a volunteer, but I'll keep it. I've been ripping out invasive bittersweet for years, and to finally find a native vine (other than poison ivy) was a welcome change. The birds are supposed to like the berries so I'll keep it.

Pokeweed- I remember huge stands of this in my yard growing up, but don't see much of it anymore. The berries are supposed to be great for birds. Around here, the Japanese knotweed, which is incredibly invasive and offers no benefits to wildlife (other than the bees), out competes it for habitat. If I found pokeweed I'd keep it.

-Josh-

"If I found pokeweed I'd keep it."

I think that sums it pretty good. If its growing, I would keep it, but I probably wouldn't plant it.

All of the plants that the OP mentioned are plants that are considered weedy or aggressive. IF there is a real concern about "spreading or annoying the neighbors", then don't plant any of those plants. There are plenty of other natives that are great for wildlife that are less aggressive.

I do have both pokeweed and common milkweed in my landscape. The milkweed I transplanted for the butterflies. The pokeweed showed up on its own.

These are all "worth it" to various animals and I actually find them attractive but they all spread very aggressively. A larger piece of land could accommodate these much more easily than a backyard garden.

I have all of these in my yard, but I have a rather large yard so I can afford to give them lots of space. THe Jerusalem Artichokes are planted between a lawn that is mown regularly and a large stand of blackberries, so it doesn't spread too much. A plant in that spot has to be aggressive to survive the constant spread of the blackberries. COmmon Milkweed does spread, but I don't consider it a problem in a wildlfower meadow setting. In a garden it can be a pain. It has a great fragrance and attract monarch butterflies, plus the seed pods are interesting all winter. I have probably 50 large pokeberries. I find them very attractive, the birds love them, and they are easy to grow. Yes, I get thousands of seedlings that I have to remove each spring, but even if I removed all of the pokeberries I'd still have thousands of seedlings of many other plants that I'd have to remove. I don't think they really create any additional weeding for me. Smilaxx doesn't grow aggressively here. I leave it in the woods and brushy areas, remove it when it grows along a path because of the thorns.

I don't like using barriers to control plants. I find that eventually the plants spread around the barriers, and then to remove the plants I have to also untalge the barrier from the plants, making the operation a lot more difficult. I prefer to simply pull or dig unwanted shoots. I don't find it to be difficult to contain any of these plants as long as I am not trying to contain them in an unreasonably small space.

Jerusalem Artichokes ----

I have been looking and looking for these in the wild and at the store .... NO LUCK.... When do you see the tubes hit the stores? Anyone care to send me a few tubes?

I don't have much to trade, just moved and only have 1st year plants.....
natureboy1376@yahoo.com