The Red Weed and Parson Nathaniel
|
Author |
Message |
jmb Rank attained: Hazel Tree


Joined: 25 Apr 2010 Posts: 4 Location: Naas, Kildare
|
Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2010 11:35 pm Post subject: The Red Weed and Parson Nathaniel |
|
|
I've come to think of this annoyance as the Red Weed from The War Of The Worlds. It's everywhere in our garden, and seem to have designs on the rest of the world, but I've been unable to identify it. It doesn't seem to match anything else I've been able to find people complaining about, and I just checked through the rest of the postings here too.
It's noticeable by its reddish stalks, and runners which very quickly spread it to new areas. The leaves are rosulate in 5s, serrate, arcuate I think, and probably other morphology words I can't remember. Fine hairs both sides. Up to a couple of inches long.
I've added a few pictures below of the leaf cluster, the stalk, and a section of plant showing the runners striking out over a moss-covered concrete area. I'd be grateful if someone could help me find out what this is. Does it qualify as "invasive"?
Thinking now (if I may conflate my sci-fi themes across many years) of lifting off and nuking it from orbit.
Description: |
|
Filesize: |
94.16 KB |
Viewed: |
11198 Time(s) |

|
Description: |
|
Filesize: |
120.67 KB |
Viewed: |
11197 Time(s) |

|
Description: |
|
Filesize: |
136.89 KB |
Viewed: |
11196 Time(s) |

|
Last edited by jmb on Tue Apr 27, 2010 12:50 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
ormondsview Rank attained: Silver Birch Tree


Joined: 17 Jun 2009 Posts: 188 Location: Kenmare, Co. Kerry
|
Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 12:23 am Post subject: looks like potentila |
|
|
http://spam.edu/weeds/weed.asp?potentilla
Here's the pic from a weed site with images. It has shallow roots so shouldn't be too hard to rip up.
|
|
Back to top |
|
 |
jmb Rank attained: Hazel Tree


Joined: 25 Apr 2010 Posts: 4 Location: Naas, Kildare
|
Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 12:57 am Post subject: |
|
|
Thanks! I think it's a different variety to that one, but I've just done a little reading and apparently there are about 500 so possibly no surprise.
It does seem to be easy enough to rip up individual plants (if the whole garden isn't by now a single individual!) but it keeps coming back - hence I'm wondering if it's one of those where a tiny bit of broken root can quickly regrow. Also, while ripping up works when you can get at the base of the plant, it's harder to do when it's running riot all through the garden, which I think had little attention from the previous residents.
Last edited by jmb on Tue Apr 27, 2010 1:10 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
jmb Rank attained: Hazel Tree


Joined: 25 Apr 2010 Posts: 4 Location: Naas, Kildare
|
Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 1:00 am Post subject: |
|
|
(I didn't mention the Convolvulus, but that has plenty of irate coverage here and elsewhere!)
|
|
Back to top |
|
 |
kindredspirit Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 10 Nov 2008 Posts: 2300 Location: Mid-west.
|
Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 6:10 am Post subject: |
|
|
We have that in our garden as well.
It even comes up through the newspaper, which I laid down under an inch of compost as a weed suppressant.
I've never done botany but is it related to the strawberry plant?
_________________ .
.
.
.
A little garden in Co. Limerick. Some non-gardening photographs. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
walltoall Rank attained: Orchard owner

Joined: 25 Aug 2008 Posts: 706 Location: Thurrock RM15 via Dungarvan and the Banner County
|
Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 7:44 am Post subject: potentilla cinquefoil and roses all the way |
|
|
Yup! The potentilla IS related to strawberry and both devolve from the rose family! Potentillas are "cinquefoil" FIVE leaves, generally elongated and with teeth all round and generally yellow flowers. Wild Strawberry (fragalia) has three round leaves (trefoil), white flowers which produce fruits.
A single plant of potentilla is capable of producing 30,000 seeds in a season and it can operate as an annual, a bienniel or a perennial! It is indicative of chalky (and poor) soil. So I('d suspect you have no nettles in your garden?
_________________ Retired trouble-maker. twitters @walltoall and dreams of being promoted to Pedunculate Oaker. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
jmb Rank attained: Hazel Tree


Joined: 25 Apr 2010 Posts: 4 Location: Naas, Kildare
|
Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 9:22 am Post subject: Re: potentilla cinquefoil and roses all the way |
|
|
walltoall wrote: | It is indicative of chalky (and poor) soil. So I('d suspect you have no nettles in your garden? |
I don't know about chalky soil, there seems to be quite a bit of heavy clay, and we have outright forests of nettles. We're on a farm here and have been told by the owner's mother (a keen gardener) that the soil is wonderfully fertile and everything grows like mad.
Maybe that means everywhere but our patch of garden.
And yes, the first time I saw the leaves and runners (is the word "stolons"?) I thought wow, rampant strawberries, going straight out for some cream now - but sadly not.
I don't think we've ever seen any yellow flowers on them, though.
|
|
Back to top |
|
 |
kindredspirit Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 10 Nov 2008 Posts: 2300 Location: Mid-west.
|
Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 2:06 pm Post subject: |
|
|
My three main weeds are "The Red Weed", nettles and creeping buttercup (the one with the little white bulbs under the ground.) All growing in our heavy yellow clay.
The worst BY FAR is that creeping yellow buttercup. It hides under the flags in our front garden and then when I'm not looking, it pops its leaves out. It even grew rapidly under the snow when we had the cold spell. Other plants died but creeping buttercup thrived!
_________________ .
.
.
.
A little garden in Co. Limerick. Some non-gardening photographs. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
walltoall Rank attained: Orchard owner

Joined: 25 Aug 2008 Posts: 706 Location: Thurrock RM15 via Dungarvan and the Banner County
|
Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 9:20 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Hiya Kindred Give the creeping buttercup a small taste of roundup from time to time and damn dem that wants to save the earth. But use a tiny spray or even a brush so as not to do damage to anything else.
JMB: You then got the best fed potentillas in Munster. They will grow anywhere as they are pure opportunists but if growing on their OWN it's usually bercause of poor ground. Love your avatar BTW
Heavy clay can actually be very nutritious. I have London Clay and it will grow just about anything. Don't try to dig it though!
_________________ Retired trouble-maker. twitters @walltoall and dreams of being promoted to Pedunculate Oaker. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum You can attach files in this forum You can download files in this forum
|
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group
Privacy Policy | Copyright © 2006 - present IrishGardeners.com (part of GardenPlansIreland.com)
|