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Would you let it spread or not ?

Middlesex, United Kingdom Gb

I have this plant growing in amongst others at the end of my garden. I think it is a vetch of some kind. Am I right? Would you keep it and let it spread or does it become a nuisance ? I have never had it in my garden before.



Dscf3667

Answers

 

This looks like Vicia cracca, the Tufted Vetch or Cow Vetch. The seed was probably passed by a bird. If you want to keep it, make sure it doesn't grow near any vegetable crops, as the roots contain toxins.

3 Jul, 2009

 

if its very tall it could be galega.

3 Jul, 2009

 

It's very similar to Vicia but having now looked up Galega the flowers and leaves match that perfectly. It's 2 or 3 feet tall at the moment. I see it's also called Goat's Rue and that its best scrambling through other plants for support which is exactly what its doing.

3 Jul, 2009

 

It will seed about!

3 Jul, 2009

 

i took a photo of mine today and i will load it later. but i do like it and it seeds freely. i have potted a few seedlings up for future cleared places.

4 Jul, 2009

 

I like it too. It is good for beneficial insects, but the purists will tell you it is a weed (I am assuming it is Galega officianalis). There are other 'smarter' galegas, G. orientalis for example. I find that if the soil is too rich, it really flops about. Best to give it a bit of a hard time!

4 Jul, 2009

 

purists what do they know pha. i love it and as definitions go 'a weed is a plant in the wrong place'. my dad said lupins were weeds coz he didnt like them. i have lots of british natives[wildflowers] that my lovely neighbours tell me are weeds. they are gorgeous.

4 Jul, 2009

 

Good for you! Me too. My mother in law baulks at valerian, but I love it! I'm with your Dad on lupins though; never liked them since I grew some in a previous garden and they were covered in lupin aphids, which, as I don't spray, were impossible to get rid of and I am now off them for life! Sorry!

4 Jul, 2009

 

i wish i could get valerian to take. it never survives for me. i have loads of lupins aphids but i dont care, as the blue tits feed on some of them.

4 Jul, 2009

How do I say thanks?

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