to wander around our own property to try and identify what green growth we've already got going on here at Fellows. Most seem to be common weeds but some are definitely useful ones (ie dandelion, plantain) and I think we may even have a couple leftover pretty perenials from a previous gardener. So I am calling upon the knowledge of the aunties, the mommies, and anyone else who might be able to help me identify these plants. Here goes!
I'm pretty sure these are two kinds of plantain - the first, more round-leaved one I believe is common plaintain, the second one with more narrow leaves a buckthorn plaintain???
This guy (from my brief internet searchings) looks like some sort of Dwar
f Columbine?
I'm having trouble figuring out what this
next one is - at first I thought it was some kind of 'dock', either curly dock or a broadleaf dock. But none of the pictures I've seen so far online look like they are big enough to match up to these big boys - they are huge! A little hairy on the top of the leaf, just a bit tho. I don't think they are hairy on the underside. No flowers yet, just these big broad sprawling leaves. And it's not like there are a 
bunch of them - they seem to be plopped invidiually throughout the yard :)
We had lots of pretty pretty violets in early spring - you can't see the flowers h
ere but you can see the heart-shaped leaves. We've got them pretty much spread throughout the entire yard - they were one of the first bits of color after a long winter!So, the last one I can kind of identify looks like a yellow woodsorrel. I thought it was clover at first, but after looking it up (
plus it does have some yellow flowers!) I think it's woodsorrel instead.These last couple I have no idea! There's a spikey weed that comes up all ov
er the yard, a mint-looking (but not smelling!) leafy plant that grows everywhere, a a viny, round-leafed thing that looks like it has some small purple flowers, and a semi-daisy look-ali
ke. Tho the white petals are very thin, almost aster-looking. Any ideas?Thanks all! Will post more weed pics if there are requests!
luv luv
caitlin
PS - If you haven't figured it out already, you can click on the individual pictures to make them larger for your viewing pleasure!
13 comments:
There's an excellent book called Weeds of the Northeast by Uva, Neal and DiTomoso
You've id'd many of them correctly. I think the one with no flowers is lamb's quarters. It is supposed to be very nutritious, or beneficial in some way. it is a greyer (or maybe bluer?) green than many other plants in your yard. another common name is pigweed. It is Chenopodium album L. eventually it will make uninteresting flowers if you let it get high.
the minty one with little blue flowers is ground ivy. it will form quite a mat. It is in the mint family ( square stems). It is considered a nuisance for those that want a uniform lawn. It will crawl in and cover a lot of ground. I like the smell of it for some reason. its official botanic name is Glechoma hederacea L., but apparently it was called nepeta hederacea at some time. Nepeta is the genus of catnip, or at least catmint. other names for ground ivy are creeping Charlie, cats-foot, field balm.
I'm getting most of my info from the book i mentioned in the beginning, but I learned a few at the community garden. You should get a book on edible "weeds" . Lambs quarters tastes good, you can add it to salads. I don't know how much I'd eat it if its right next to a driveway or where people are working on their cars, however.
I'll keep looking up the rest. I'll try to find the big weed that looks a little like rhubarb (not).
the columbine was right, as were the violet leaves. violet can really take over, but is easy to pull, you'll keep getting them either way, after a while. I think they are a beautiful start to spring. Janis carried a tiny little handful of violets at her wedding, if I remember correctly. ( we used lilacs as well in a big bouquet for the church, but I don't remember her carrying them.
by the way, if yo want lilacs in your yard I can give you a BUNCH. Peonies as well, bleeding heart. lots of daffodil bulbs in the fall, too.
Start scouting for free compost from your town!
I think the big weed is common burdock. arctium minus. When it goes to seed (next year, it is a biennial), you will know it. It makes that spiny ball ( hooked spines) that gets stuck in dogs long hair. It will also have a thistle like flower for a little while.
You are right, the yellow flower is yellow woodsorrel, I know it more by its name oxalis. Its cousins are sold as shamrocks at St Patricks time. Also there is a beautiful houseplant oxalis with large,dark red triangular
leaves with white flowers that are almost lily like. I keep a few oxalis in the sunroom. LOTS of varieties for house plants are available. the one you have is also called sour grass. I used to eat it a lot as a kid. It is very tart. I'll email you some pictures.
Wow, Renee, you are so knowledgeable! I mean, I knew you were, but hadn't really listened (or read, in this case) to you spout out so much info in such a short space before.
We would LOVE lilac! It's my favorite flower, and Syracuse residents and parks have them everywhere, so we'd blend nicely. Peonies and daffodils are great too. We're probably not going to start our landscaping until at least summer though. Our priorities are the indoor and outdoor scraping and painting. But before next winter, we definitely want to get into the ground lots of plants for next spring!
Renee - I was just looking up arctium minus, and on the USDA plants website one of the other names for burdock is wild rhubarb :)
I think the daisy-like one is a fleabane . . .ahhhhh I have to stop procrastinating my studies by looking up weeds!!!
I think you might have daylily near your columbine. The green spike leaf. It also might be some spring bulb. Even if you do not plan to garden for a while it is a good idea to start a note book to record when and how much sun you have on the different parts of the property. It changes through the season. Then we will know what plants to share with you.It is great that you are taking pictures so you can see what you have and help to remember where they are. Try to get rid of that ground ivy before you start your garden. It is such a pest. Also any of the weeds that have flowers it is good to get rid of that part so you don't have more seeds and spreading. You can always put a few flowers or herbs in pots to have some color. You also can do the lasagna garden method to prepare your soil as well as get some plants going quickly. Lee Reich has a book called "Weedless Gardening" You can borrow it at the library.
hi back..i agree with all of your comments, so i won't be repetitive, but i thought photo number 4 might be shepards purse....the way the leave are shaped and the seemingly flatten out....wildflowers are lovely and until you get some good hardy perennials they might be good filler.....keeps sending photos..hi to all..xoxomom
P.S... I also recommend the instant guide to wildflowers...it's illustrated for easy reference....by pamela flrey/cecilia fitzsimons....love mom
Janis's comment about the daylily mixed with the columbine prompted me to take a closer look.
in the photo, to the right is part of a very tall plant. It has leaves with scallopped edges, and at the top where there had been flours are now spikes that are full of seeds. Pull it out, (eat it if you want). Its garlic mustard. An invasive species, a chinese herb. Look up recipes for it, the park is probably full of it. I understand you can make pesto with it. It is invading our forest floors choking out natives. There are organized pulls for it in the adirondacks.
Pull yours right away before it drops its seeds. Kill the seeds in a plastic bag if you can.
OK, we're tired of looking at the weeds. I want to see new pictures! Janis is sitting here and concurs.
get to work slackers!
Yes ma'me! Pictures are coming!
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