Here in Australia we get the thistle weed. Does America get the same weeds as we do in Australia or no? Weeds in Australia are environmental means they spread everywhere. Some weeds are foreign and Just make there way through Australia. I don't know if there is any such thing as a common domestic weed that grows naturally in a country or are all weeds just environmental? Domestic meaning a weed that grows native all around a particular country but only grows in one country. Please lets chat about this! It is a good topic.

Weed is not a true technical definition, just a word meaning plants that bother you.
Some plants that originated in a certain region have spread and are successful growing worldwide in many other regions with similar climate.
I call common violets a weed in my yard. They are domestic to me, not that plentiful in the natural forest that would be here with out suburban development, but act like weeds for a lawn with flowerbeds.

I encourage a few thistles... some are locally native, others are imported... they're awful pretty, attract butterflies...

I've seen books / websites that called tomato plants "weeds".
It's a word without meaning.

I can't tell you how often I've brought locally native plants to someone only to see them rip them out later... explained why they didn't have those plants... apparently they were already exterminated in favor of junk plants imported from japan....

Here's an example of a gorgeous locally native plant that seems unappreciated in it's native habitat:


there's just no explaining some people...

''Domestic meaning a weed that grows native all around a particular country but only grows in one country. ''
Any plant has potential to grow in a similar climate somewhere else in the world. Whether it has been seen doing that, depends on humans- if they intentionally/unintentionally carry the plant, and if they notice it.

Plants work the same way as animals and insects — in their natural habitats they usually have some natural controls such as weather patterns, water availability, natural predators (plants as forage) that keep them in balance with their surroundings. Often when they are introduced to new environments those controls don't exist, so the introduced entity reproduces unabated. If it spreads to the extent that it pushes out local species, it is considered invasive.

I've generally heard the problematic plants described as
"invasive non-native". Maybe it's easier just to call it a weed. There are a few invasive natives, but they're really rarely trouble makers.
We have a native thistle which is not a problem, but also have the non-native scotch thistle. They can be invasive, taking over and crowding out native species.
Like Stone, I do let a few thistles grow because the birds and bugs love them, but have to be careful not to leave too many.
Siberian elm trees are a considered a "weed tree" here, an example of an invasive non-native that can crowd out the locals.
In parts of California, Eucalyptus are considered undesirable invasives!

Funny. Most weeds were the ancestors of our domestic plants. We made them more useful for us. Agreed, the term weed is used on the plants that we don't wish to have, but I live where every plant seems to be trying to take over the world - aggressively so. Some folks make money over finding something useful to do with it, examples are bamboo, water hyacinth, mesquite...list goes on. Environmental - I think may be the word for xeriscaping plants into areas where they do best. Or weeds, sometimes the same. I see less reason to use tumbleweeds than thistle in a setting.

As a gardening term, "invasive" has a specific meaning. It is a plant is found growing outside of its habitat of origin AND displacing natives to the point that the ecosystem is altered. A plant can either be native, or invasive, but never both. They are mutually exclusive terms, opposites, and both are subject to the context of the location.

As far as weeds go, I consider many of the plants I see for sale at stores to be weeds. Asparagus fern, Vinca major, spider plants, to name just a few. Some of them were given this personal designation after I purchased them and they ended up being way too spready for my taste.

I would never call a native plant growing in its habitat a weed, but do consider many to be too exuberant to submit to tame cultivation. Many turf lovers would look at a "cottage garden" and see a bunch of weeds. Many would look at a field of wildflowers as a bunch of weeds. The term weed is subjective and can be applied to native or non-native plants at the whim of the speaker. Anyone may use the term however they want.

So many of the plants commonly referred to as weeds in the US are edible. They are called weeds for various reasons. The most common reason is that they grow well in agricultural fields. Nothing but the subject crop is allowed to grow so they must be identified and killed by some kind of 'cide.

The second most common reason is that they are edible. If people are eating their weeds instead of buying every bite at the grocery store, that's not good for BIG AG. They lose multiple times because you didn't buy those bites of food AND you didn't buy their 'cide that promises to kill your supposed weed. You didn't buy grass seed, weed'n'feed, a string trimmer, edger, and maybe not even a mower.

This kind of psychological social pressure is very effective. Nobody wants to be the crackpot in their neighborhood known for "eating weeds" or "letting their lawn go to weeds." You're supposed to tend your monoculture of sod like a good little rule-follower, buying the products and food that somebody else grew, every step of the way.

If you are in the US and don't believe you're tending a lawn because "they" said you should, you might want to read "The Lawn: A History of an American Obsession by Virginia Scott Jenkins. Not that there's anything wrong with wanting or tending a lawn, but the pressure is so complete that so many people feel bad, inferior, or like a failure if their lawn doesn't look perfect.

I have never been to Australia, but this is my view of things from the US.

To me, weeds means plants that I do not want in my garden. It does not matter whether they are native or foreign. That's why I pull them and throw them away.

Tiffany, I have one observation to make about eating weeds. They don't taste good, damage your teeth, are diuretic, and are way too prolific which crowds out other things that might try to survive. Oh, and lawnburs, hitchiker plants, and smilax, yaupon and other thorns become one time too much IMO.

Kat, thank you, but your comment is so vague. It seems like a generalization that is so broad that it has no meaning to say "weeds don't taste good" after we've acknowledged that anybody can call any plant a weed. One would have to be literally starving to try to eat thorns. That can't be what you think I meant, but if it really is, please know that's not what I meant at all.

Just looking at the "weed library" on this site, one will see many edible plants. I'm not sure which are, or are not, included in someone's personal categorization of what is a weed.
https://garden.org/learn/libra...

Ok, remove the thorns. They are 'usually' poisonous anyway. Weed is broad, being the definition of uncultivated, prolific, unwanted growth. Remember, I live here in Houston which seems to be massive growths of non native, invasive, plants. Many introduced (Bradford pear, pistache, Chinese tallow trees, etc) and many bird dropped.

one word here-kudzu and welcome Ron

Ugh, memory hits. We in the USA have shared with Aussies, Canada and China some of our most horrible 'weeds', spear grass comes to mind. The one with a catfish hook barb that kills small animals, birds, dogs...if I remember right, I was thinking of grassburs (hay hauled into the area during drouth because cows will eat it, horses cannot) lawnburs on which I step when barefoot, experiments gone awry from TxA&M just up the road (Johnson grass, turns to strychnine in Aug/Sept). I cannot call them environmental, I will call them other names such as those Japanese words we see written and never spoken (*@&**!@#**}{*&^%**!!!)

MsDoe said: I've generally heard the problematic plants described as
"invasive non-native". Maybe it's easier just to call it a weed. There are a few invasive natives, but they're really rarely trouble makers.
We have a native thistle which is not a problem, but also have the non-native scotch thistle. They can be invasive, taking over and crowding out native species.
Like Stone, I do let a few thistles grow because the birds and bugs love them, but have to be careful not to leave too many.
Siberian elm trees are a considered a "weed tree" here, an example of an invasive non-native that can crowd out the locals.
In parts of California, Eucalyptus are considered undesirable invasives!

Pittosporums can be considered a weed where it is unwanted. Pitto's are actually great trees. They take 5 full years to grow very tall and are still a plant and unwanted weeds. Pitto tree's are foreign and can be domesticated. Also Eucalyptus trees are the most common tree's here they can be considered a weed here . Most Eucalyptus can be juvenile and can become potential weeds. Depends what you grow that you would consider a wanted plant.

purpleinopp said: As a gardening term, "invasive" has a specific meaning. It is a plant is found growing outside of its habitat of origin AND displacing natives to the point that the ecosystem is altered. A plant can either be native, or invasive, but never both. They are mutually exclusive terms, opposites, and both are subject to the context of the location.

As far as weeds go, I consider many of the plants I see for sale at stores to be weeds. Asparagus fern, Vinca major, spider plants, to name just a few. Some of them were given this personal designation after I purchased them and they ended up being way too spready for my taste.

I would never call a native plant growing in its habitat a weed, but do consider many to be too exuberant to submit to tame cultivation. Many turf lovers would look at a "cottage garden" and see a bunch of weeds. Many would look at a field of wildflowers as a bunch of weeds. The term weed is subjective and can be applied to native or non-native plants at the whim of the speaker. Anyone may use the term however they want.

So many of the plants commonly referred to as weeds in the US are edible. They are called weeds for various reasons. The most common reason is that they grow well in agricultural fields. Nothing but the subject crop is allowed to grow so they must be identified and killed by some kind of 'cide.

The second most common reason is that they are edible. If people are eating their weeds instead of buying every bite at the grocery store, that's not good for BIG AG. They lose multiple times because you didn't buy those bites of food AND you didn't buy their 'cide that promises to kill your supposed weed. You didn't buy grass seed, weed'n'feed, a string trimmer, edger, and maybe not even a mower.

This kind of psychological social pressure is very effective. Nobody wants to be the crackpot in their neighborhood known for "eating weeds" or "letting their lawn go to weeds." You're supposed to tend your monoculture of sod like a good little rule-follower, buying the products and food that somebody else grew, every step of the way.

If you are in the US and don't believe you're tending a lawn because "they" said you should, you might want to read "The Lawn: A History of an American Obsession by Virginia Scott Jenkins. Not that there's anything wrong with wanting or tending a lawn, but the pressure is so complete that so many people feel bad, inferior, or like a failure if their lawn doesn't look perfect.

I have never been to Australia, but this is my view of things from the US.

Speaking about lawns "buffalo grass" is very invasive. Kikuyu grass is the worse invasive weed and grass we have. I would not recommend this type of grass to an old lady who wants a low weed maintenance garden. I have Buffalo grass and it enjoys any kind of soil but the maintenance is high. It is a good summer grass but it is also a weed. Dichondra is kidney weed and that can grow and stay in your garden if you want a good looking garden keep Dichondra in your garden. I think the term weeds is a good term. And there is the obnoxious weeds which must be removed . Environmental does not matter but obnoxious does.

Horto_soil20 said: Speaking about lawns "buffalo grass" is very invasive. Kikuyu grass is the worse invasive weed and grass we have. I would not recommend this type of grass to an old lady who wants a low weed maintenance garden. I have Buffalo grass and it enjoys any kind of soil but the maintenance is high. It is a good summer grass but it is also a weed. Dichondra is kidney weed and that can grow and stay in your garden if you want a good looking garden keep Dichondra in your garden. I think the term weeds is a good term. And there is the obnoxious weeds which must be removed . Environmental does not matter but obnoxious does.

I have been to the USA and they have wonderful wildlife parks.
everything in the united states grows lush and green.
The oak trees or yam trees are climated to snow fall.
In Australia in melbourne of course it snows up in the mountains.
The gum trees north east of melbourne are used to snow also but it is the only place other then tasmania where snow exists.

I seen the type of gum tree that grows woodic or woods like "lake mountain" if you ever visit here you will find melbourne has some great tourist destinations. as for environmentalists they visit the parks and destroy obnoxious weeds because they are declared by the government or state council to be removed. as for America north east of America they have weeds that grow over flowers. but I took some pics of the bushland in the USA while I was over there in Lake eerie which is a freshwater lake.over here in melbourne we have port phillip bay which is apart of the ocean to the tasman sea. west side of melbourne is swamps and grass land. east side is bush and mountains.south east is coastal area's.

I live in a mostly agricultural area in the middle of the USA
The farmers here grow mostly corn or beans (with the occasional tomato field)
anything else is a weed to them even corn in a bean field

I think a ''weed'' is just a plant one does not want

gardengus said: I live in a mostly agricultural area in the middle of the USA
The farmers here grow mostly corn or beans (with the occasional tomato field)
anything else is a weed to them even corn in a bean field

I think a ''weed'' is just a plant one does not want

I think you are correct! Thistles , as I don't like them at all . As they can be regarded as a common weed. Plants is totally a wanted vegetation. Thistles are totally rubbish and un wanted and can rob nutrients from your garden. Plants that are wanted can be weeds "unwanted" as we say. Depends what area they grow in.

This is a Gaura. Please let me know if I am correct. It is a weed and a plant.