At least three quarters of the weeds choking our waterways and invading our national parks are escaped garden plants.

Despite plants like English ivy and gazania being banned in parts of the country for being invasive, they can still be legally bought in local nurseries and online.

“More than a decade ago, governments recognised escaped garden and aquarium plants as a major threat to our environment and wildlife, but nothing changed – the nursery industry promised to self-regulate and this approach has failed,” Imogen Ebsworth from the Invasive Species Council said.

“We are relying on everyday Australians to either have a botany degree or to pay close attention to the warnings in the fine print of plant labels to stop their gardens becoming a ticking time bomb.”

She said governments had finally agreed regulation was the only way to prevent another lantana from destroying the environment.

“There are thousands of ‘safe’ plants available which will still allow people to have amazing, diverse gardens and the industry to prosper without causing new weeds to spread around the country.”

Click through to see some of the popular household plants that have escaped the garden to become invasive weeds.