I am starting this thread as a spot to discuss the pros and cons of common weeds, most of which are either natives to our areas or introduced invasives that truly should be eradicated.

This is one of the former - maianthemuym dilatum, false lily or the valley or snakeberry. It is a native in the Pacific NW and I have it growing rampantly in my back woods understory. Over the years, it has introduced itself into my flower beds and I find it a welcome addition. It colonizes as a groundcover in shady areas, blooms shortly after the daffodils have peaked and I find it a useful cover for the spent daff foliage. It is gets too robust in any given area, I simply pull it out. I have never tried to actively eradicate it, so don't know how much of a pest it might be if you really don't want it.

Feel free to chime in with your favorite natives, or thug invasives and how you approach eradication. As always, photos are helpful and fun to look at.

I found you
One mans pest is another's prize
the plant you just posted was growing at the botanical gardens this spring and I thought wow what a neat plant maybe I should have some in my garden.

weed #1
Bindweed
just about covered my gooseberries and boy what a chore trying to remove it Gooseberries have nasty thorns.




they do have a pretty flower but way to agressive

Crossing fingers, but for some very strange reason I only have bindweed in one isolated island bed, nowhere else. It twines up through an azalea and another shrub. I don't mind its blooms peeking through here and there but once it becomes smothering, then I pull it all out and it then of course just starts again.

I think they are both beautiful, I don't have either one.

Count your blessings
and you are welcome to dig all you want from my garden

We have a bindweed that is native to Texas http://wildflower.org/plants/r...
but the Snakeweed is not native to Texas http://plants.usda.gov/java/pr...

Just saw a report about Hogweed giving rashes for six months on the news in Northern Indiana. I guess it is affecting people in Illinois and Michigan. I researched it here on ATP http://garden.org/ideas/view/w... Say it isn't so bad, wildflowers!!! http://www.wishtv.com/dpp/news...

Pat, I think you are talking about two very different plants here, are they both called Hogweed?
I guess that is the trouble with common names.

They just said Hogweed. It can grow to 14 feet tall, and the picture they showed had white flowers...lemme poke at my news station and get a true picture of it :biggrin:



Wait a sec...bigger picture?

That does look like a mean plant you have there.

Thank you but why not request Trish to move what is left behind on the site forum? Just now it is not shifting but starting anew.
Bind weed grows here and is pretty invasive but causes not much harm except when it starts to smother. It loves to grow along with wheat so that it can clamber all over.
Pat that Hog weed do you have any knowledge about it causing Asthma? That thing reminds me of a plant here, it causes Asthma and Skin rashes.

frostweed said:That does look like a mean plant you have there.

Yah, the news station made it appear as scary as possible, lmao It's definitely invasive and ugly in these parts, I will now shoot it on sight with every weed killer I can possibly get my hands on,

KAMasud said: Thank you but why not request Trish to move what is left behind on the site forum? Just now it is not shifting but starting anew.
Bind weed grows here and is pretty invasive but causes not much harm except when it starts to smother. It loves to grow along with wheat so that it can clamber all over.
Pat that Hog weed do you have any knowledge about it causing Asthma? That thing reminds me of a plant here, it causes Asthma and Skin rashes.

Only that you should avoid touching it in any way. If rubbed in your eyes, can cause blindness. Outside that, don't get it on your skin, it is apparently worse than poison ivy. Just don't get the sapling in your lungs KAMasud, and I think you'll be okies!

Pat, your giant hogweed is a totally and completely different plant than the Purslane, Portulaca oleracea. I watched the video and read the article but it doesn't say the botanical name for that giant hogweed? It sure looks scary!

I wonder why they omitted the scientific name.

Giant Hogweed is Heracleum mantegazzianum.

Allright Jay

Ahh, ok cool! Well, good part is that it has only been found in northern Indiana, and I'm central...so I have some time to stock up on weed killer

I have had a bout with phytophotodermatitis, which lasted quite a long time (nasty itchy rash). I was told by my dermatologist that there are substances in any plant in the umbelliferae or apiaceae family (carrots, parsley, angelica, dill, anything with that firework type bloom to it) that can be activated by sunlight to cause a reaction. He also said each plant may be more potent at different stages of its lifespan, which makes it difficult to pin down one culprit over the other. As I recall, I treated the rash with some cortisone cream and was advised to keep my affected parts out of the sun until it cleared up. That was the most difficult part, as it was midsummer and the rash was on my lower legs.

Not sure if the giant hogsweed falls in this family or not, but it certainly looks like it might.