Please identify  this invasive green plant

Question: This invasive green leaf plant with small yellow color at tips is taking over my perennial garden. This is the first year I’ve noticed it.. Help! What is it?

responder: An Ask Extension Expert Replied June 07, 2023, 8:11 PM EDT
response: Thanks for the question. If I am looking at things correctly, I see two different plants not counting the irises. In #5998, I am looking at tall plants in the back with tips on them. I believe that these are creeping bellflower (Campanula rapunculoides). This is a highly invasive plant, spreading both through its roots and by dispersal of its seeds. See: https://apps.extension.umn.edu/garden/diagnose/weed/broadleaf/creeping/bellflower.html https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/creeping-bellflower https://hennepinmastergardeners.org/invasion-of-the-creeping-bellflower/ In #5597, I’m looking at a yellow-tipped plant on the left just above the iris. This appears to be common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca). This is a plant upon which monarch butterflies lay their eggs. See: https://extension.umn.edu/flowers-pollinators/common-milkweed - :~:text=Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) is,plant in the milkweed family. https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/common-milkweed https://www.anokamastergardeners.org/plant-of-the-week-1/common-milkweed Hopefully this answers your question. If not, please get back to us again. Thanks for using our forum.

responder: The Question Asker Replied June 08, 2023, 9:52 AM EDT
response: Thank you for your prompt reply to my question. However I am not at all happy with what I was fearing would be the answer to my question. Due to chemical control could prove fatal to my other plants, I will have to do extensive digging to try to control the Creeping Bellflower. I do not want to loose my milkweed. Last summer I was able to follow a monarch caterpillar in a container all the way through the chrysalis stage, watch it emerge and after drying its wings for about four hours, Chris, he was a boy, took flight.  What a wonderful experience! I now have a prized photo of Chris hanging on my wall. Now I have to get to digging. Mary Ann  Sent from my iPadOn Jun 7, 2023, at 7:11 PM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:﻿

responder: An Ask Extension Expert Replied June 08, 2023, 12:42 PM EDT
response: Thanks for your response. I have dealt with Creeping Bellflower repeatedly over the years and have arrived at certain thoughts: 1). There is no quick and dirty way to get rid of it. Once established, it stays established even if one continually digs it out. It is virtually impossible to remove all root bits and pieces. It releases prodigious numbers of seeds that are wind carried to innumerable locations. These seeds may remain dormant in the ground for several years until favorable conditions arise for their germination. 2). What real harm does it do? If it is in a location where it doesn’t compete with more favorable plants (e.g., milkweed), is it worth it to try and eradicate it from that location. 3). The presence of Creeping Bellflower may perturb one’s ideal of a neat, tidy, and well organized garden. Unfortunately nature is not designed to do this. This is why many gardeners have now gone over to more “natural” gardens. 4). The use of herbicides to eliminate Creeping Bellflower is fraught with danger to nearby plants. Unless you are willing to spend long hours on a regular basis digging, Creeping Bellflower is now part of your perennial garden. Decide exactly where you do NOT want it to be present. Direct your attention and efforts there and let the Creeping Bellflower do its thing in the other areas. However if you would still like to battle this plant, remove all emerging flower stalks before they develop flowers. This would decrease the amounts of seeds that they would otherwise release. Good luck and keep up the good fight. Thanks again for using our forum.