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Are these 3 plants weeds?

Posted by linnea56 z5 IL (My Page) on
Tue, Jul 16, 13 at 2:06

Cross post to Weeds. #1 is getting so big, I really want to ID it quickly...before it eats the nearby plants! .

A few years back I was going to a plant swap annually, so stopped immediately pulling things I didn’t recognize. But I have my doubts about these, even though I thought I knew most local weeds. Just way too lush. No flowers or pods yet: but I’m getting worried. (But then with all the rain we have had lots of things are lush?!) Thanks for your help!

#1 is enormous, maybe 5 feet, and still getting taller. Growing tips are always bent over. Getting a lot of sidegrowth and branching now.

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# 2 is about 18” tall.

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# 3 is about 2-3 feet tall.

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Follow-Up Postings:

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RE: Are these 3 plants weeds?

#3 Giant ragweed
#1 I wish there was a more close up pic of the leaves
#2 does it have woody stems?


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RE: Are these 3 plants weeds?

#1 might be Lythrum salicaria (purple loosestrife), but yes a close up would be helpful.


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RE: Are these 3 plants weeds?

#1 does not look like Lythrum salicaria to me.

To answer the title question: basically it is you who decides what is and what is not a weed in your garden. No plant is a weed by definition.


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RE: Are these 3 plants weeds?

Are the leaves on no. 2 uniform on both sides and are they in groups of three.


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RE: Are these 3 plants weeds?

Thanks! here is a closeup of weed # 1. The tips are always bent: it's not wilted. I used to grow a lythrum (Morden's Pink), before it was commonly known how invasive they are. This does not look that familiar.

#2 now has a yellow and purple flower that looks a lot like something in the tomato family. I'll attach more shots after this one.


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weed # 1

closeup of growing tip


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flower on weed #2

closeup. Flower is about 7/8 inch is diameter; all facing straight downward. Stems are NOT woody.

This post was edited by linnea56 on Tue, Jul 16, 13 at 15:42


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RE: Are these 3 plants weeds?

Could the first one be solidago or golden rod? I seem to recall mine having drooping growing tips before they budded up.


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RE: Are these 3 plants weeds?

I think the second one is a tomatillo judging from the flower.


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RE: Are these 3 plants weeds?

Solidago? H’mmm…I might well have traded for that. The place it’s planted too, looks like no accident: Just where I’d put a tall plant as a backdrop. I would have gotten this in 2011 or earlier, though…I wonder if it takes that long to show some height?

Tomatillos? Now that would be a novelty in my perennial garden. I can’t say I’ve ever bought one whose seeds could have ended up out there.


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RE: Are these 3 plants weeds?

I missed where you said the flower was 7/8ths of an inch in diameter. That is bigger than a tomatillo flower. But the color is right on. I looked up Chinese lanterns, and that didn't look like what you have there. I am pretty sure it is a nightshade family plant, but I'm not sure which one. You'll have to wait and see what kind of fruit it makes.


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RE: Are these 3 plants weeds?

I've heard chinese lanterns are invasive, so I sure hope not.


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RE: Are these 3 plants weeds?

That doesn't look like chinese lanterns, they are bright orange, I remember them from childhood. They have the shape of a small lantern.


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RE: Are these 3 plants weeds?

That yellow flower - does it hang down?

If, yes, not only is it a weed, but it has an incredibly long tap root. It's one of the few plants I use Round-up on, otherwise it's impossible to get rid of. As soon as I see it, I spray it.

You can also head over to that other site (gave's darden since apparently it's blocked here.) They have an extremely active plant id forum. I often get an ID within an hour.


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RE: Are these 3 plants weeds?

The yellow flower hangs straight down. Thanks for the tip on "you know who" garden. I look for plant information there, but I didn't know they had a forum.


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RE: Are these 3 plants weeds?

The Name That Plant forum on gardenweb has lots of activity also and I've had responses almost immediately.

Here is a link that might be useful: Name That Plant


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RE: Are these 3 plants weeds?

1. Might be an aster, some of my asters look a bit weedy before fall flower formation. I have to remind myself not to pull them.


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RE: Are these 3 plants weeds?

The 2nd one, that looks like something in the tomato family, is now producing pods, so may be easier to ID now. Here's a photo:

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RE: Are these 3 plants weeds?

Is your plant more upright, or is is it more spreading? Is it still 18 in" tall? If it isn't any taller, then it isn't a tomatillo. Maybe it could be a wild groundcherry? Physalis something-or-other.


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RE: Are these 3 plants weeds?

#2 is not a ground cherry. I am positive it's a noxious weed, I just don't know the name of it.

Did you post here at the plant id forum? How about the other site whose name cannot be mentioned?


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RE: Are these 3 plants weeds?

2 is a Ground Cherry imo. Physalis subglabrata.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ground Cherry


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