Abstract The challenges posed by invasive plants include not only ecological disruption and biodiversity loss but also complex management and ethical dilemmas. These issues point to a critical gap in how care is conceptualised and practised in weed management. Addressing these challenges requires reframing care as a gentle practice that aligns with the natural rhythms of Country, while acknowledging and honouring weeds as part of cultural and ecological systems. This paper draws on a case study of the Shoalhaven River (referred to as River) in New South Wales, Australia, to explore the place‐based ethical and practical dimensions of care in the context of weed management. Three key methods shape this approach. First, yarning with Country, an Indigenous research method, is central, incorporating insights from Aboriginal cultural knowledge holders and weed managers connected to River. Second, storytelling about yarns with weeds highlights relational narratives and experiences with invasive plants. Finally, reflections on Travels (dreams) provide a spiritual and interpretative lens, offering deeper insights into the interconnectedness of care, culture and Country. Analysis revealed two central themes shaping gentle care: gentleness and rhythm. Participants described practices of weed management that emphasised observation, timing and respect for the agency of plants. These included slow, careful reduction strategies and the use of native plantings to gently care for and support coexistence. The study revealed that care practices towards invasive plants are deeply intertwined with relationships to Country, emphasising gentleness, rhythm and timing. These themes emerged through yarns, Travels and stories shared by participants. Through these relationships, invasive plants can teach people how to manage them in ways that align with cultural and ecological values. Centring Indigenous knowledge systems in contemporary weed management practices can lead to more ethical, effective and sustainable outcomes. By drawing on illuminating care‐based approaches that focus on learning from invasive plants and nurturing relationships with them, this paper calls for the inclusion of Indigenous knowledge as a fundamental part of managing Country in land management programmes. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Crystal Arnold (Wed,) studied this question.