Nasty Nasty Weed

paul hanrahan · Posted: Thu Jul 01, 2010 12:04 pm Post subject: Nasty Nasty Weed

Can some pls help me identify this nasty weed (see attached photo) which has sprung up in my garden & attacked my tarmac drive!

Thanks in advance, Paul.

JennyS · Posted: Thu Jul 01, 2010 11:05 pm Post subject:

You don't give an indication of leaf size, but it could be Colt's-foot, Tussilago farfara:

http://www.irishwildflowers.ie/pages/42a.html

walltoall · Posted: Thu Jul 01, 2010 11:36 pm Post subject: coltsfoot

I'd agree with Jenny. Used to harvest it to make a cough medicine many years ago in Clare. The grey leaves are the give away. They should be about the size of your hand (don't count your fingers). If you want to get rid of it spray with a weedkiller containing 24D which has been around for 60 years and is excellent for broadleafed plants. Use carefully and sparingly. Found a site for you too lol

http://lawncare.about.com/b/2009/02/20/popular-herbicide-24-d-faces-scrutiny-and-possible-ban.htm

paul hanrahan · Posted: Fri Jul 02, 2010 10:23 am Post subject: Nasty Nasty Weed

Thanks Guys - much appreciated.

I had searched everywhere for an "id" - so you guys are definitely the tops.

It's a real shame to kill such a useful plant but needs must (or I'll have no drive!).

Have attached a photo showing the leaf size. This is one of the largest leaves most are from 2 to 4 inches.

All the best, Paul.

walltoall · Posted: Fri Jul 02, 2010 12:53 pm Post subject: nasty nasty weed

Paul,
A man's got to do what a man's got to do and a weed is a weed is a plant in the wrong place. So get the 2.4.D and in a month it'll have died off. Thanks for the compliments which are correctly due to James for setting up this forum, though I'm sure Jenny and meseff can bask in the reflection. It's easily the best gardeing site in the British Isles, but then it would be. it's Irish. Stick around. Stay posting. There are some extraordinary people on this forum and everybody works so well together.

While I'm on anyway, the google search facility on this forum can produce some of the most interesting returns you'll find as an amateur gardener on the net. Let's all mithael away to our mutual advantages or as Breezyacre from beyant in Drawda would say "Is ar scáth a chéile a mairimid"
Shaun

michael brenock · Posted: Fri Jul 02, 2010 3:29 pm Post subject:

the weed in the first picture is definitely Coltsfoot Tussilago farfarra. The second picture however is of a similar weed called Winter Heliotrope (Petasites fragrans), small lilac/pinkish white perfumed flowers in Winter. This is far more persistent than Coltsfoot and much more invasive. The edges of the leaves are very finely toothed.
michael brenock horticultural advisor (retired)