I agree Gaura is the name, I know it as desirable plant.

So many different zones and ecological and geographical areas, sheesh, I KNEW you had only been to the Northeast coast, Jono. Its the Mighty Mississippi that divides our continent between green and brown. It is pretty accurate to look at a color map of the USA and see how visible that becomes. Just in our zones alone plants go from subtropical to desert, to greenhouse, with a few 10,000 ft areas as well (Hondo Valley, New Mexico). Where I am, the migratory birds bring seeds from 4 and 5 zones north of us, and until our summer gets them, they grow all winter and return in the fall. to our Australian friends

I love "weeds" some are good for the birds, and other wildlife; some are edible; even some invasives can be grown in your garden ...for instance mint which is an herb and could be "invasive". So if you want it then you could confine it. I grow mimosa strigillosa in my front yard along with perennial peanuts, however, I do not live in a HOA area. We also grow Thai Double Blue butterfly pea, the kind for making wonderful tea; it is also used to dye for rice and desserts.

Welcome from the Rio Hondo Valley in New Mexico. It's not the same Hondo Valley that @kittriana mentioned. That one is in the southern part of New Mexico. I'm up north in Taos County. And we're only at 7,500'.

We have an invasive thistle here, Kali tragus. It's sometimes called a Russian Thistle because it came over from Russia in shipments of flax seed. It has spread all over the western United States. Most people know it as the iconic Tumbleweed. I think most would be surprised to know that it has only been in the U.S. since about 1870.

Can't talk about weeds without the Tumbleweed!
I've had a few in my yard, they were easy to get rid of, just use a shovel to cut the taproot and toss them in the trash. Of course that was in a city yard, they're much more problematic in open areas!
The new sprouts are edible, before they start getting spiny.
Do a search for "Tumbleweed Snowman" for some other examples of what they are good for!

I guess I am not as open minded about weeds, yes, I raise herbs and they are basically aromatic weeds. When I think weeds, I don't think about the good ones, I think about the bad ones that make me bleed, or steal my plants spaces, or cause harm to the animals (cholla, spear grasses, black locust)

Speaking of cholla... Have you ever had an encounter with those 'cactus cats'?
https://abookofcreatures.com/2...

I'd previously read that they liked to quickly dash under a miner just as he was about to take a load off...

I planted those black locust on purpose... I need the fence posts... Can't call something a weed when it's so darn useful...

My sister is removing acres of them, someone else thought they would be, too. Acres where they creep across grasslands and take over, blow out your tires, hurt your calves and cattle, she is near https://boisdarclake.org/ most of their land is now under that picture, so they relocated east where the businesses are going in to take care of the revenues they hope to have. (cattle processing, drinking water, etc)
Weeds are Universal should work.

"I believe that every species has a right to live without justifying its existence and should not be wiped out by recklessness or economic interest. We can't just pick and choose which plants to conserve, keeping only the ones which provide medicines or look pretty in gardens."

... Carlos Magdalena

I'm reading his book 'The Plant Messiah'.
Here's a free download:
https://pdfget.com/pdf-epub-th...

kittriana said: My sister is removing acres of them, someone else thought they would be, too.

I hope that she's smart enough to market them...

Black locust lasts for like 100 years in contact with the soil!
https://treeplantation.com/bla...

All these people writing in asking what they should build their raised beds out of....

I think weeds fulfill the need in people to control something .
Better to look to your weeds than your neighbors business.

disclaimer
(Just a thought about weeds and not directed at any comment or anyone here.)

Horto_soil20 said: Thistles are totally rubbish...

Unless you're a finch.

Even the finches won't eat the Nyjer thistles unless they have been prepared, and by the way, Nyjer thistle is a daisy, not a thistle.

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

A grain in a field/container of grains that is not the same , can cause a farmer a great deal of misery, therefore; removig invasive grains as weeds is a matter of financial survival.

Horto_soil20 said: 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.

Canadian, and some other thistles reproduce/SPREAD by rhizomes, not just seeds, and can become a garden, yard, field destroying item.
It took me years to get them out of my vegetable garden; the last ones killed were 12 feet from the first .

"I think weeds fulfill the need in people to control something .
Better to look to your weeds than your neighbors business."

or fighting your Chief in the office.---hahaha

I look at it this way I only have so much space to grow plants. I would much rather look at daylilies, roses, iris and other perennial flowers taking up that space rather than "weeds".

RpR said: Canadian, and some other thistles reproduce/SPREAD by rhizomes, not just seeds, and can become a garden, yard, field destroying item.
It took me years to get them out of my vegetable garden; the last ones killed were 12 feet from the first .

The taraxium weed which is called in Australia sow thistle. or another variety dandelion grows everywhere here. they spread by parachutes seeds in the wind and can spread for miles. They are very much common here.

You have to pull it out before it spreads like wild fire. also stellaria "chick weed" is easy to pull out and "cardamine" "flick weed" very easy to pull out also.

I am actually wanting to write a book myself on all the plants/weeds I have researched and worked with. and I want to share my know knowledge online. talking book talk. I love books!!!!

purpleinopp said: Unless you're a finch.

Unless I am a person who does not like pulling them out in a massive garden ,maybe yeah. They are annual weeds and some can be perrenial.