Help identifying these plants please!!! Pics inside

960 Views 10 Replies 7 Participants Last post by JJ Grandits, Jun 13, 2004

Montana Mom

Discussion Starter · Jun 12, 2004

This hardy something or other took over my planned garden spot virtually overnight. Those are flowers on the top, newly sprouted, whitish-lilac colored.
What is it?

Can I pull it up and still plant there or should I choose another spot? It is now covering more than half the garden spot. Everywhere else has grass covering, but perhaps grass would be better than weed?

Found this growing in my gravel driveway. Has a strong minty smell but doesn't look like any mint I've seen before. I posted about it before, but didn't have a picture then.

And lastly, there are several tall bushes of this bean growing along the fence. What kind of bean is this?

Thanks so much for any and all help. Theres more, but these are the ones I'm most curious about. We've just moved here and I've never seen so many weeds and wild things in one yard before...

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Gayle in KY

· #2 · Jun 12, 2004

Not sure about the first one, but the second one looks like Queen Anne's Lace (aka Wild Carrot) and the third looks like Vetch.

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bare

· #3 · Jun 12, 2004

The first one appears to be lambsquarter which is great as a salad green. However you need to have someone positively identify it because it does look somewhat similar to Deadly Nightshade. It is an excellent ground cover for gardens as it grows-spreads quickly and is shallow rooted. You can almost scrape the cover off.

The second one is Wild Carrot, as I mentioned a couple weeks ago when you first inquired. In that thread, I linked to a great site with photos and uses of the plant.

And I agree with Gayle in KY, that you are looking a either Crown Vetch or Hairy Vetch.

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Cyngbaeld

· #4 · Jun 12, 2004

I know that wild carrot and lamb's quarters grow rampant in your area. The 3rd one may be wild sweet pea that also grows up there. It comes out with beautiful blooms that smell really nice. Just pull the lamb's quarters up and toss in compost pile or lay down for mulch.

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Montana Mom

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jun 12, 2004

bare said:
The second one is Wild Carrot, as I mentioned a couple weeks ago when you first inquired. In that thread, I linked to a great site with photos and uses of the plant.

Yes, you did, and I completely missed your reply until now! I will check out the link you gave.

Thank you Gayle in Ky, bare and Cyngbaeld for the leads!

You are right about the lambsquarter and wild carrot. Funny I was looking at lambsquarter on the MT extention website but the picture was fuzzy and I ruled it out!

I looked up the Vetch and don't think it looks like what I have. These bushes are at least 6 feet tall and I haven't seen any flowers on them. I looked again and saw that the neighbors have them also in the same spot so I presume they were planted and not wild.

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katydidagain

· #6 · Jun 12, 2004

I'm new here so don't hit me but, if your property wasn't woods before, the 2nd could be a perennial artemsia--wormwood is in the family as is sweet annie. I wouldn't describe the scent as mintlike but it's sure strong.

katy

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suelandress

· #7 · Jun 12, 2004

katydidonce said:
I'm new here so don't hit me but, if your property wasn't woods before, the 2nd could be a perennial artemsia--wormwood is in the family as is sweet annie. I wouldn't describe the scent as mintlike but it's sure strong.

katy

Agree. Looks like wormwood to me. Send it this way!! I love them

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bare

· #8 · Jun 12, 2004

You can test to see if it's wormwood easily. Here, the base is almost woody, but the definitive test is to break off a small piece of the leaf and taste it. If yer mouth puckers up, you'll know it's Wormwood.

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Montana Mom

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jun 13, 2004

Its a little bitter. It has a regular looking green base. I guess I'll know more if/when it flowers.

If its wormwood I shant be sending it off! I pay big bucks for dried wormwood at the shop!

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Cyngbaeld

· #10 · Jun 13, 2004

There is a type of locust that grows in your area. Does your bush have woody stalks? It is hard to get rid of, but it will grow into a fair size tree and nothing much will grow under it when it is bigger. It sometimes flowers but I don't remember what color. Deer don't seem to eat it, worse luck. They like tomatoes better. Sorry, I'm not sure what kind of locust it is, it was imported for 'ornamental' use and got away. I think some people plant it just because the deer leave it alone.

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JJ Grandits

· #11 · Jun 13, 2004

Lambsquarter in the garden is a good thing. It's an indicactor plant for fertile soils.

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