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Leigh-on-Sea Essex, United Kingdom

ID Please, found this in a car park by a wall, is it a weed or a plant?




Answers

 

Appears to be Phytolacca acinosa (UK). It is commonly known as Indian Pokeweed in the UK. I just cut down three Phytolacca americana ( American Pokeweed) growing in my garden today as a matter of fact. They grow to a good height and to me are not something that I want growing in the garden. The roots go very deep so I keep cutting it back until it gives up. Where I can I also apply weed killer to it. The proper place for this plant is in a car park by a wall, not in the garden. It is distributed by birds which eat the berries. The seeds in the berries go through their digestive system and are eliminated unharmed by the digestive process. This plant showed up out of nowhere in my garden three years ago. The first one I let grow to maturity so I could ID it. Once I found out what it was I eliminated it but it has showed up in various places in my garden since then and it is a very fast grower. There must be plants growing elsewhere and the birds are bombing my garden with its seeds.

16 Jun, 2014

 

Nominated for GoYpedia Weeds.

16 Jun, 2014

 

Loosestrife. Awww! Poor thing it being a weed, I will have to get rid of it then. Thanks for your info :o))

16 Jun, 2014

 

Weeds are only plants in the wrong place and there is no reason to throw it out if you really like it as long as you have room. Lots of people grow red campion intentionally for example, which counts as a weed round here simply because it seeds everywhere and becomes a nuisance.

Probably best to discard this one, but remember the division into garden plants and weeds is an artificial one. How many people have sown poppies this year - and they were a pernicious weed of cornfields not so long ago.

16 Jun, 2014

 

The one that I let grow to maturity was up to the six foot mark in height. I do let some weeds grow in my garden because I like the way they look (that's how I admit defeat).

16 Jun, 2014

 

I like the Phytolaca americana. We have a few dotted around. they are slug proof too.

16 Jun, 2014

 

Lol Loosetrife. I've done the same with a self sown hypericum that even bamboo can't identify!!! Its getting bigger all the time and looks a sthough it means business.

16 Jun, 2014

How do I say thanks?

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