Weed or perennial?

11 years ago

last modified: 11 years ago

Or is this going to be a perennial weed!? Sorry it's one of my ignorant questions again! ROTFLOL!

The landscaper planted a number of "unknown" perennials in my front yard last year. So when this guy showed up just now, I just assumed that it's one of them. Well, it has grown very fast and it has lots of nice leaves and buds. Now it's starting to bloom and it is starting to look like a weed... hmm.... so what is it? Should I be getting rid of it!?

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prairie_northrose (3b north of Calgary AB, Canada)

11 years ago

last modified: 11 years ago

Just a guess but it looks like perhaps a type of soapwort to me. If it is, its a perennial, but invasive, can quickly smother other plants. I kinda like the smell of it, but one could say its an acquired smell.

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Comments (12)

hykuezone1b
11 years ago
I'm pretty sure that's a weed. We had one here before any perennials were planted, and my MIL identified it as a weed, though I don't remember what she called it.
ostrich thanked hykuezone1b
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Konrad..just outside of Edmonton Alberta
11 years ago
Get rid of it as fast as you can,..my most hated weed out at the nursery.
ostrich thanked Konrad..just outside of Edmonton Alberta
ostrich
Original Author
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
Oh boy, now I am scared!!! What is it?! Does it just spread like crazy otherwise!? Konrad, why do you hate it so much???
hykue Zone 7 Vanc. Island
11 years ago
And I'm super curious. What is it?
FrozeBudd_z3/4
11 years ago
It's a catchfly weed ... I know that it might be tempting to leave, as it almost resembles a garden worthy plant, but believe me it's not and will seed out in profusion.
ostrich thanked FrozeBudd_z3/4
Konrad..just outside of Edmonton Alberta
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
They choke out everything else and take over,..those seed heads are just about ready to drop seeds! The first one's to come up in spring! If the flowers would attract bees then I would not call it the worst..lol, never seen a bee on these!

http://www.lacombecounty.com/index.php/environmental-services/weed-identification-a-control/noxious/117-white-cockle
ostrich thanked Konrad..just outside of Edmonton Alberta
SouthCountryGuy Zone 4b-5 SE BC
11 years ago
FWIW it is very hardy much like dandelions
ostrich
Original Author
11 years ago
OH MY GOODNESS! I am so glad that I asked you guys - you just saved me 24,000 seeds of this thing!!!!!!! THANK YOU!

I just came home and even though it's getting dark outside, I went out to get it pulled, tout de suite !!! As soon as I pulled it, low and behold, I found the poor little perennial that the landscaper planted last year, and it was suffocated by this fast growing thing!!! Thank goodness I just pulled it...

Guys, you saved me again! Thank you so much!!! :-)
FrozeBudd_z3/4
11 years ago
Ostrich, the other day I had spotted and pulled out a sizable plant of the same type while it was happily growing away undetected among other perennials.
donna_in_sask
11 years ago
Yes, it's Saponaria aka "bouncing bet" - I tried growing it once and it didn't live very long for me. From that experience, I wouldn't have labeled it as invasive as others in this thread, certainly not enough to yank it out completely...but then, I'm a zone colder. If it were creeping/clustered bellflower, lily of the valley, perennial bachelor's button or goutweed, I would have told you to "kill it with fire", lol.
FrozeBudd_z3/4
11 years ago
Many of these plants grow in a neglected area of my yard, the blooms vary in their number of petals and I admit can be rather attractive such as with this particular specimen. This is a real close up shot, blooms are nowhere near as large as they appear.