New and Unread Tree-Mails
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North Central Massachusetts (N (Zone 5b) Life & gardens: make them beautiful        joannakat Aug 2, 2017 6:20 PM CST |
| Hi all, This is growing all over my little garden space. I'm pretty sure it's a reseed from a wildflower I must have had last season, but there is no promise of flowers yet. The leaves all have a darkish spot on them (except when new), and the stem is very interesting. Hope we can ID this!     AKA Joey. |
Name: Dave Paul Puna, HI (Zone 10b) Live in a rainforest, get wet feet.   Metrosideros Aug 2, 2017 6:49 PM CST |
| Looks like a wild Persicaria. |
North Central Massachusetts (N (Zone 5b) Life & gardens: make them beautiful joannakat Aug 2, 2017 7:21 PM CST |
Metrosideros said:Looks like a wild Persicaria. Thanks Paul. Someone else had said that and unfortunately, the pictures online and in the database don't spotlight the leaves (rather, the flowers) so it's really difficult to tell. I really wish that people would also post pictures of leaves, and not only, but of full plants so that we can see the leaves and structure of plants. Have you by any chance a picture showing the leaves and/or stems? AKA Joey. |
North Central Massachusetts (N (Zone 5b) Life & gardens: make them beautiful joannakat Aug 2, 2017 7:23 PM CST |
| Oops! I found it! It's a type called Lady's Thumb, or Persicaria maculosa. And there are pictures of the leaves in the database AND online. Plant found. Thank you! AKA Joey. |
Name: Dave Paul Puna, HI (Zone 10b) Live in a rainforest, get wet feet. Metrosideros Aug 2, 2017 7:49 PM CST |
| Persicaria... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... |
North Central Massachusetts (N (Zone 5b) Life & gardens: make them beautiful joannakat Aug 2, 2017 8:32 PM CST |
Metrosideros said:Persicaria... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... OMG, thas a lotta Persicarias!!! AKA Joey. |
Name: Dave Paul Puna, HI (Zone 10b) Live in a rainforest, get wet feet. Metrosideros Aug 2, 2017 8:43 PM CST |
| Yes, need flowers and leaves for a positive id. |
North Central Massachusetts (N (Zone 5b) Life & gardens: make them beautiful joannakat Aug 3, 2017 11:05 AM CST |
| Okay, so now that I have an ID thanks to all of you, I read up a bit more on it. It seems that it can be more than a bit invasive, and is considered by some to be an aggressive weed. Since I have such a small area that I can plant in, I decided to remove it. OMG! Be warned! If you want a plant that will totally take over, this one is it. Thank G-d I am dealing with it before it goes to seed! This plant has rhizome-like roots that, in these young plants, extend horizontally for two or more feet in any direction, and sprout vertical shoots along the way. The roots also engulf anything that's in their way. In my case, several had already surrounded my bulbs (hyacinth and narcissus) and those bulbs got pulled up when I pulled up the persicaria. I was able to extract them and replant them so hopefully, they'll be okay come spring.  The roots of any main plant also seem to have a rubberband-like reaction to being pulled--they tend to snap in a way that sends soil flying upward in your face. I got a real eye full of dirt with the first one. I did not plant this, nor do I know how it got started here (there are none in the area). I'm guessing that a seed or two came in a sack of soil, or mixed in with some other seed by mistake. Regardless, I now know how to identify it and, whenever I see it, I will pull it up. I recommend the same to others!  AKA Joey. |
Name: Porkpal Richmond, TX            porkpal Aug 3, 2017 2:34 PM CST |
| I appreciate the warning. Porkpal |
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