This Gardener Let a Weed Grow—And Was Shocked By What It Became A Redditor shares their backyard gardening story. Close Credit: fotolinchen / Getty Images Weeds have a reputation for being a nuisance in the garden, robbing other desired plants of the nutrients they need to thrive. Despite this, some weeds can grow into something quite unique and beautiful, as one Redditor recently experienced. The Redditor recently posted on the platform, sharing a photo of their recent gardening experiment. The post showed a giant weed sprouting up among the hydrangeas bordering their home. "Decided to let this 'weed' embrace its final form and I’m impressed!" read the caption. The weed appears to be mullein (Verbascum bombyciferum), which can grow up to 10 feet high with showy yellow flowers and fuzzy, gray-green leaves. It has traditionally been used for its reported medicinal properties, particularly for respiratory health and other ailments. Even Monet included the impressive plant in his paintings. The Reddit post has received close to 200 comments, with many of the gardeners in the forum saying that the weed was good for the soil. One Redditor said they let the weeds "grow one year to break up the soil in one of my saddest beds. I made sure to cut the flower stalk off before it seeded. The bed really thrives now. I made a tincture out of the leaves." Don't Miss The Game-Changing Gardening Tips Seasoned Gardeners Wish They Knew Sooner Gardeners Reveal Their Favorite Tools Not Made for the Garden (Some May Surprise You!) However, others warned the original poster about the plant, saying that common mullein is considered invasive in many regions because it can outcompete native vegetation and spread rapidly. It produces seeds that can remain viable in the soil for extended periods. They suggested deadheading the plant, i.e. removing the flowers before they produce seeds to help prevent the plant from spreading unwanted seedlings. "If you’re in North America, please cut the stalk before it goes to seed! Mullein is invasive here. One plant can produce over 150,000 seeds and the seeds can remain dormant in the soil for decades!!," wrote one Redditor. The best way to control this weed is by avoiding tilling. The seeds don't germinate well without sunlight, so only seeds near the soil surface germinate. Disturbing the soil through digging can bring the weed seeds to the soil surface. Explore more: News Home & Garden News Sources decorvow is committed to using high-quality, reputable sources—including peer-reviewed studies—to support the facts in our articles. Read about our editorial policies and standards to learn more about how we fact check our content for accuracy. "How Mullein Benefits Your Lungs." Cleveland Clinic, 19 Dec. 2022. "What’s That Tall, Yellow Weed Doing in Monet’s Garden? - Plant Talk." Plant Talk, 18 June 2012 "Common Mullein, Verbascum Thapsus." Wisconsin Horticulture.