Weed id please

sorie6 zone 6b

9 years ago

Anyone have any idea what this is?
My friend found it in her yard in Tn.

You can see burrs at the top of the pic.

Thanks.

Featured Answer

Okiedawn OK Zone 7

9 years ago

What it is actually is not as important as what it is not. If it is not something you planted on purpose, or something you like and want to keep, then it is a weed regardless of its name.

What is important in a case like this is to yank out those undesired plants before they set seed or you'll have ten times as many of them next year and probably for many years thereafter.

We had all sorts of uninvited guests sprout in the garden our first few years here, and I didn't spend time figuring out what they were. I knew I didn't want them, so my time went to removing them. There has not yet been a moment (since 1999) where I've said "Ooops, I wish I'd kept that pretty weed because it might have been something desirable". Nope, not a single time. Some of them came back repeatedly and aggressively for many years, and I just as repeatedly/aggressively yanked them out. It always is better to take them out if you don't know what they are. I did spend time trying to figure out what various trees, shrubs and vines were, but not broadleaf or grassy weeds that sprouted wily-nily everywhere.

The easiest way to tell if a plant is a common weed or a rare, highly desirable native plant? If it pops up all over, spreads quickly and aggressively---it is not going to be a rare and precious native plant. Nope. It's going to be a pernicious weed. If only one or two of any given plant pop up, then it probably is something desirable....and it is likely to die about the time you decide you want to keep it.

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Comments (19)

nowyousedum
9 years ago
I would like to know, too. I have hundreds, if not thousands of them in my yard. Don't know what it is or what I need to do to get rid of it.
Macmex
9 years ago
It's called Perilla Mint. In my neck of the woods ranchers just call it "mint weed." I've been cutting all I can down, as it goes to seed and spreads like wild fire.

http://swcd.mo.gov/bollinger/documents/Perillamint.pdf

Perilla Mint Killing Cattle in Oklahoma
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mulberryknob
9 years ago
Sorie has perilla. I don't think the second pic is. It might be Pilea, but I'm not sure.
Sandplum1
9 years ago
I had no idea perilla was toxic!
carolb_w_fl_coastal_9/10
9 years ago
Might 2nd pic be Mulberry weed (Fatoua villosa)? 1st is a different plant I do not recognize
AmyinOwasso/zone 6b
9 years ago
Perilla is shiso, an Asian herb, that has escaped. People can eat it, I didn't realize cattle couldn't. I had one pop up this year. I agree, the 2nd one looks different.
sorie6 zone 6b
Original Author
9 years ago
I don't think that is it either. My picture has the burs at the top. Didn't see any on either of the ones you folks posted.

thanks.
AmyinOwasso/zone 6b
9 years ago
Sorie, I can't find it now, but my facebook feed had a picture of something like your weed and they were selling it! I thought at the time I should mark it, and didn't. What kind of burrs, I can't really see in the picture.
nowyousedum
9 years ago
Okay, I got closer pics.
Is this not the same? Seriously, I have probably thousands. I have pulled, scraped and put down thick mulch. Hoping to eradicate. But it could in my raised beds. Can't do anything but pull there. Please help!
nowyousedum
9 years ago
I also have 1 of these.

I planted borage. Could this be it? If so, I only got one plant out of a whole pack of seeds.
AmyinOwasso/zone 6b
9 years ago
That looks like ground cherry to me, or at least a wild nightshade. This is borage. It has blue flowers and hairy leaves.
nowyousedum
9 years ago
Thanks, everyone! Is there a way to get rid of ground cherries? Do you know what my 2nd pic is?
Macmex
9 years ago
Pull them before they can seed. That's the only thing I know to do.
carolb_w_fl_coastal_9/10
9 years ago
Nowyousedum's pix are of different plants than the original post (OP). I'm fairly certain the one w/ the spiky little blooms is mulberry weed, as I stated above - plenty of info on that available on the web. However the OP has still not been IDed & I'm fairly certain it is NOT perilla, since the flowers bear no resemblance to that herb, which is in the mint family.
Lisa_H OK
9 years ago
Sorie, if yours is perilla there should be a distinct odor to the leaves...for the record, it doesn't really look what my perilla looks like, but mine is purple, so that might be the difference.
nowyousedum
9 years ago
I've told my grandkids the same thing: If you like it and want it, it is a flower. If you don't like it or want it, it is a weed, lol! I have Dahlberg daisies all around. I love them, but some people call them weeds. I also have Jewel of Opar. It was a pretty flower when I first brought it home, but now it is definitely a weed! The rest of today will be spent pulling this stuff, whatever it is, out of my raised beds and putting stones around the new beds. Maybe. It's kinda hot today. Thanks for all the input!
AmyinOwasso/zone 6b
9 years ago
You can eat Jewels of Opar. It's a little like puslane, grows in heat and doesn't get bitter when it flowers.
nowyousedum
9 years ago
I remember you saying that a while back, but I haven't tried it yet.