Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
nutsaboutflowers

Uh Oh - Did I Transplant a Weed??

nutsaboutflowers
13 years ago

Over on the Perennials Forum there's a post Friend or Foe posted by gardengrammy.

Is that seriously a weed?

It looks very much like the perennial I dug up from a friend who was relandscaping. It gets really pretty mauve flowers. Did I rescue a weed? Is it really a weed or just an invasive perennial?

If my old computer would do tricks, I'd try to post a picture.

Please help me.........there's a picture on the other post.

Comments (17)

  • marciaz3 Tropical 3 Northwestern Ontario
    13 years ago

    Rip it out immediately, if not sooner. Are you sure it was a friend who gave it to you? LOL I looked, and it seems to be Adenophora confusa. Awful, awful stuff.

  • nutsaboutflowers
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Marcia - I looked up a picture of what you thought it was. That's not it. I have seen that, and will pull it right away if I see it again.

    The plant has pointier leaf tips , sort of like a pot plant, the blooms are in clusters and have four petals, look a lot like lilac blooms, and they smell like lightly peppered lilacs. It's so pretty, I hope it's not a weed.

    Any other thoughts?

  • north53 Z2b MB
    13 years ago

    Naf,
    Could it be Dame's Rocket: Hesperis matronalis?

  • nutsaboutflowers
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Yikes! It could be a Dame's Rocket. I hope not. I really like it.

    I'll have to go out and have a closer look. I can't find a good detailed picture on the web that shows the whole plant in detail. I've also looked at so many pictures, I'm going cross eyed.

    Do you know where I could find a detailed picture to compare?

  • marciaz3 Tropical 3 Northwestern Ontario
    13 years ago

    Lynn, check out the link below. Lots of pictures of Hesperis matronalis. Why are you hoping it isn't? That's nowhere near as bad as Adenophora! Only thing, this year more of it is in the path beside its bed than in the bed itself. :>

    Here is a link that might be useful: Hesperis matronalis

  • northspruce
    13 years ago

    I just indoor sowed some Dame's Rocket on a whim. I thought it was pretty well-behaved??? Someone tell me if I'm going to regret it...

  • nutsaboutflowers
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    From North53's suggestion, Marcia's link, and Wikipedia, I'm about 99% sure I've got Dame's Rocket. I'm glad it's not one of the other evil plants. Thanks for the help =:)

    Northspruce and I won't regret having it, will we? It's so pretty.....

  • xaroline
    13 years ago

    Dames Rocket does self seed, but it is easily pulled out and does not become too invasive here.
    Caroline

  • dandy_line (Z3b N Cent Mn)
    13 years ago

    Here in Z4a(almost a 3!), I started some about 8 years ago. They colonized readily and I'm now in the process of pulling them out. They are not too invasive, compared to farther south. Down there it is more of a problem then us lucky folks in the North. I wouldn't worry too much about the Dames Rocket.

  • nutsaboutflowers
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thanks everyone!

    I've decided to keep it. I'll just make sure I don't let it self-seed too much. It's against a wall of the house with a sidewalk close by, so hopefully it doesn't jump far.

  • northspruce
    13 years ago

    Thanks for the advice. I'm fine with deadheading seedy things, as long as I know what to look out for. (ahem, verbascum)

  • north53 Z2b MB
    13 years ago

    I may also be nurturing a weed. When my seeds emerged I found a stray plant growing among my fountain grass seedlings. I thought it looked exactly like my rudbeckias, and thought I must have been careless with my seeding.
    But now it no longer looks like the rudbeckia, but I'm still waiting so see what it is. I'll try and get a picture of it so you all can help me identify this stray.

  • marciaz3 Tropical 3 Northwestern Ontario
    13 years ago

    Oooooh - verbascum!! There's another thing, for sure. And they aren't that easy to pull, unless you get them really little. They have a tap root that goes down to China. LOL And you know, i've taken their seed heads and shaken seeds down the side of our road - nothing. Same with poppies. We have a field just up from us that looks awesome when the daisies and buttercups are blooming but no poppies or verbascum have ever shown up. Go figure.

  • northspruce
    13 years ago

    Yeah I had a feeling about verbascum the first time I indoor sowed it, I'm pretty sure I got more seedlings than I planted seeds for. :S I have it at home and work and I cut the spikes as soon as they're done flowering. My mom didn't and she has seedlings all over her paving block forecourt.

  • marciaz3 Tropical 3 Northwestern Ontario
    13 years ago

    I've got them all over the place too, but i want to let them grow up this year as i'm hoping to replace a yellow one that - gasp! - died out. It was close to my lythrum and looked great with it. Last year it was gone. If these are the regular pink ones - out they go!

  • northspruce
    13 years ago

    All of mine are yellow. V. nigrum with the purple middles. Let me know if you need seeds Marcia.

  • marciaz3 Tropical 3 Northwestern Ontario
    13 years ago

    Uh, with my track record on invasive plants, i think i'll pass on that offer, Gil! LOL Thanks anyway! (Unless i plant just one!)

Sponsored
Hoppy Design & Build
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars9 Reviews
Northern VA Award-Winning Deck ,Patio, & Landscape Design Build Firm