The Diseased Rhododendrons That Triggered a Federal Plant Hunt
The garden shrubs have been known to spread Sudden Oak Death, and the government is ill-prepared to prevent an outbreak.
Illustration by Julie Benbassat
Every spring, Americans flock to their local box store or nursery looking for ornamental plants something to spruce up their front yard, perhaps, or block out nosy neighbors. Last year’s pandemic lockdowns supercharged this annual ritual, as people with time on their hands, craving distraction from stress and grief, hungered to watch something thrive. Now, as they emerge from a nightmarish winter, Americans again are on their hands and knees, digging holes for their latest haul largely unaware that the plants they buy, on rare occasions, risk fueling an ecological catastrophe.