i think.. only the second pic is johnny jump ups.. aka mickey mouse flowers ...

as the other dont have 3 colors ...

ken

LOVE your photos -- wish you lived closer to Massachusetts. I would gladly offer to come and weed these for you as long as I could bring some home with me!!! All of yours are lovely, but I especially love the ones in the second photo -- very unusual.

Your weeds are much more desirable than mine!

I just found poison hemlock growing up in several areas of my greggii. Pulled it after taking the picture!

Wish my weeds looked so pretty, windberry!

:)

Dee

I always get some Bachelor's Buttons reseeding each year. They sprout when and where they feel like it .

"as the other dont have 3 colors ..."

Three different colors is not a requirement. Flowers can also be a solid purple, blue, white or yellow. They can also be a combo of only two colors, The tricolored form is just the most popular. It is a popular enough "weed" that you can easily purchase seeds or started plants in many nurseries. And once you have them, you will always have them :-)

And these are my weeds. I just let them be, and strangely they never reseed...

Windberry, I will take your weeds! Beautiful and considered a native. Win-win.

roxanna7: Now I too wish I lived closer to Massachusetts, you could have as many as you like, in all colors and combinations of colours, one colour, two colours, or tree in the same flower; blue, white, yellow, purple. At the beginning of my gardening, when I had only a few and didn't know them well yet, I allowed them all to be. After two or three years of this approach I had nothing in my garden but a carpet of Violas. I suspect they must like my sandy soil and very dry and very hot in the summer climate.

Jinx: Poison hemlock, certainly I wouldn't like to have this one. But your Salvia greggii looks so nice!

diggerdee zone 6 CT: When I bought this prop it was nothing but weeds growing here. Over the years I managed to get rid of almost all kinds of them without using any -cides. It looks like I recently won even a battle with one of the last and worst of them: Rumex acetosella, never believed it could happen, but it looks like it did.

sw_gardener: I love Bachelor Buttons, am going to try if they will like me.

Jinx again: I like your Cattus ’Doublique nextdoorus’. Here I have only Cattus ferale.

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9): True

JoJo (Nevada 9A): Zen garden, very nice! So they never reseed?

cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA): Ah, if it was possible! I am willing to give them all. Well, may be not all, would like to keep tree, or four. Another million is free to take!

I love that your 'weeds' are right there in between your tomatoes! I end up with the same look but with different weeds. My mess is from a terrible combination of laziness, curiosity, and 'oh what harm can it do to leave them, I don't need that spot just yet'... although mine really is a mess, not a colorful batch of violas!

I left a batch of cottontails in the tulip patch and they're just about ready to pick.

In this bed of emerging perennials the lamium and forget-me-nots are running rampant. I’ll clean it up eventually.

katob Z6ish, NE Pa: Yes curiosity and leniency towards plants often cost us a lot of work later. 🙃

north53 Z2b MB: I like your bed very much as it is. Very sweet. But I know, in my garden Forget-me-nots behave like weeds too, but that can't stop me allowing a couple of them to grow each year and ripen millions of seeds.

Scotch thistle is listed as a noxious weed in some western states, but here I always let a few grow... but never let more than one or two seedheads ripen!

and daisies. They blanket the roadsides and seed into every open spot of soil.

You can’t see the hundreds of violets in this pic but they are there! My husband was opposed to ”no mow May” (very busy/visible yard in town) so I mowed on highest setting and mounted this sign. I love a natural, weedy, pesticide free lawn but I do pull them from other beds.

Oh, I must remember that - "no mow May". Thank you for the support. ; )

katob Z6ish, NE Pa: Yes, Daisies. Not only a weed but a "noxious weed" where I live. According to bcinvasives.ca : " A single plant can produce up to 26,000 seeds that can survive in the soil for up to 20 years." Nevertheless I cant resist their beauty and always allow three or four to grow in my garden. It looks like they love my soil and climate. I have them under control and am careful to remove spent flowers. Don't see them growing in the surrounding area, either. Don't know where they come from year after year?

The mix of Daisies and Lychnis in your garden is beautiful. I will take a picture of mine and post here, too.

Interesting, windberry! My daisies have stayed in almost the same exact clump for twenty years lol. i kind of wish they would spread a bit. But they get hit almost every year with that darn oriental beetle. The blooms always end up looking dirty and ratty. I wonder if that has anything to do with seed production?

:)

Dee

diggerdee zone 6 CT: It depends on the species, or variety you grow. Here I am talking about Ox-eye Daisy Leucanthemum vulgare. Yes, they are perennial. Probably short lived. In my garden they are the best in their first year so I usually dig them up after. They are always replaced by the new ones. They grow spontaneously in my edible garden since the time I saw a field of them somewhere, fell in love with them and brought one plant home.

I also have Shasta Daisy, Leucanthemum × superbum, growing in my flower beds for many, many years. They are very long lived and don't reseed here easily, if at all. They behave similar as yours.

Chieves - another prolific re-seeder (weed) in my edible garden. I like Chieves and I like their flowers, and bees like them too, as a result I always have a lot of little plants to pull in spring.

And here is an Ox-eye Daisy just starting to bloom in my edible garden. The same as in Katob's pic. The plant can grow very big and strong when having a lot of room for itself only.

Yes, I think they are.

Windberry, you've inspired me to dig some ox eye daisies out of the lawn. Where I used to live I let them seed around in the garden and now I miss them.

Which paper Mary? Sounds interesting. Could you post a link?

I've never seen anyone call those plants weeds before. Millions of 6-packs of them are sold every year.

My weeds are much more unpleasant, and bold about trying to take over and making zero effort to make friends. They make burrs, give me a rash, are protected by ants who attack me if I try to pull them, require frequent mowing, offer no nectar for hummers, bees, or butterflies, grow over top of the plants I paid for, and nobody has ever called any of them pretty or paid another person for the pleasure of owning one of their very own.

Is not a plant that would take over if allowed called a weed? But of course, like it is with invasive plants, they don't behave like weeds everywhere. A plant that is a weed in my garden, doesn't have to behave like a weed in yours.

I would have said yes on this soft little thing before I moved to AL. If it's soft and pretty and I can easily pull it up out of the way, I'm going to have to call it groundcover or temporary. Do as you must, please carry on as you were. I was mostly being jealous. I'll look away! But I can't promise I won't be thinking of you when pulling weeds next. Looks like I get a pass tomorrow morning, supposed to be raining. That makes the weeds bigger and yields more compost. :+)

There is NO clear-cut listing of "weeds". A weed is any plant growing where not wanted. And this is often expanded to include the descriptors "of vigorous growth habit" and "one that tends to overgrow or choke out more desirable plants".

One person's weed can be another person's treasure :-)

My weed that I'm fighting to get rid of is Chameleon plant. I've also struggled with Black eyed Susan's, daylilies and lily of the valley taking over. But here is my main "weed" that has taken over everything. Out of all the overgrown unwanted plants I think lily of the valley was one of the hardest to dig out but the chameleon is the true demon as it's the most widespread, resistant to herbicide and comes back the easiest. I planted some violas and morning glories and was scared to see that other people had issues with them taking over, definitely will keep an eye on them to make sure nothing gets too out of hand!

Black Eyed Susan reseeds on my prop, too, but I don't have, and never do, pull it out to keep it under control. Just one plant here, another there, and that's it. As a matter of fact I am always anxious they will disappear all together. Lily of the Valley is another story, they spread slowly thanks to strong rhizomatous roots, but always keep in one place. I have never seen them at any distance from where they were planted. They are not weeds in my gardens.

With Violas and Oxeye Daisy it is a completely different story. They are very pretty, that's true. Daisy looks especially well when in combination with other plants, like in Katob's pic. One of the four, that I let to be this year, has chosen to grow close to Irises. They together look even nicer than each of them separately (by the way there is only one Daisy plant in my pic, it tells how they like my acidic, sandy soil and dry, hot climate during summer). But for me a weed in my garden is a plant that has the potential to spread out of control and take over, regardless if it is attractive or not, and Daisies and Violas do. I love them, but I don't like their habit.

I hope you really did want to see some actual weeds.

Here's a fun one. This is the nicest grass in our mowed area but that's not good enough, it must sprout all in the cultivated area.

Another fun grass is torpedograss. It can't be pulled out. I'm going to have to dig up this whole area, grab what I want to keep, smother, start over next year.

Chamberbitters is another fun one, Phyllanthus urinaria. I've pulled up at least 1500 of these over this past week. It has some nutsedge sprouts for company, Hydrocotyle, and a cherry laurel sprout. Hydrocotyle is fun. It has a white root that goes from leaf to leaf and you have to chase and dig the whole root and pull up every bit of it. Pulling without digging first just causes it to break.

Speaking of cherry laurel sprouts... there are at least 5,000 of them in this small area that's supposed to be a cultivated area. I though I had killed a walnut tree but it kept growing, all of the plants I'd put there died, and the cherry laurel sprouts came up in a solid carpet. 2 leaves per stem covering a huge area about 15 feet wide and 10 feet deep, mixed with prickly dewberry vines.

I hope you really did want to see some actual weeds.

Actually I had in mind those planted in the garden by the gardener him/her-self. I don't believe you have planted yours, at least not every kind of them 😏. Cherry Laurel looks nice though, so does Phyllanthus urinaria.

You don't write anything about your growing conditions, like soil and climate. I know you are in Opp, but this doesn't say me enough if they would do so well in my garden, too, and if I should avoid planting them, or at least keep a keen eye on them, if I did.

I see you have a different definition of a weed than I do. For me a weed in my garden can be any plant that I planted, regardless how pretty, which doesn't want to live in harmony with other plants, but is striving for hegemony. A classic example is Campanula rapunculoides. So pretty, but rather dreadful. You are lucky if you never had to deal with that one.

Amanda Wilcox:

I was thinking about what you said about The Lily of the Valley. Yes, despite its sweet and innocent looks it is an extremely aggressive plant in my growing conditions, too. It will strangle with its roots almost any other plant. The only way of dealing with it is to give it a separate bed. I did, and it is why I don't complain. I can't imagine what would happen if I planted The Lily of the Valley among other plants! It is sold widely in the garden centers, without any warning, though. I would like to know if it always behaves so aggressively, regardless of the growing conditions. What kind of soil and weather you have?

I can't say anything about Chameleon plant, I never had it in my garden.

About Morning Glory I have heard and read horror stories, too, but they behave very decently in my garden, I am not sure what it is that doesn't suit them here; heat, dry conditions, or may be the soil acidity?

As for the Violas, Johnny Jump up is one of the three species I still have. Viola odorata happily spreads more and more widely, too, and Viola sororia still fights for its survival here despite that for many years, ten or so, is not tolerated here at all.

When searching the Net for "viola tricolor growing conditions", or for "viola odorata growing conditions" it is what I get: "Grow in partial shade, or in full sun where summers are cool. This variety prefers rich, moist, well-drained soil with a pH of 5.5-7.0." lol, lol, lol, my conditions are very far from being cool, or rich, or moist, not too much of partial shade here, either!

I hoped this thread will became a discussion forum on the aggressively spreading garden plants. It is why I posted it in the Garden, Annuals, and Perennials forums, not in the actual Weeds forum.

I am sorry for not responding correctly.

Tiffany: Nothing to be sorry for. To the contrary, it helped to clarify my point 😊. I am sorry because of your weeds!

I have the dreaded Campanula rapunculoides. No idea if anyone planted it or if it just shows up on it's own lol. It's everywhere and a mature plant has roots like carrots that must go down 12". Whenever I dig an area or turn over soil I meticulously go though and pick out every little bit of rapunculoides. A tiny speck will generate 10 new plants and then the root system becomes even more complex.

One semi-weedy plant I really like is Feverfew. I got the double cultivar 'White Wonder' and I encourage it to seed around as much as it wants. It's capable of competing with the garlic mustard and campanula while still being relatively well behaved. It's easy to pull up too if it's not wanted.

Yes, it is practically impossible to eradicate Campanula rapunculoides. I have it too, got it from a friend gardener twenty or so years ago. I gave up hope of getting rid of it completely a long time ago and now pull out only the blooming stalks to prevent it from forming seeds and spreading into other garden beds.

Over the years I discovered more garden plants with weedy habits, too, besides already mentioned Violas and Oxeye Daisies. Pinks are spreading very greedily on my lawn and Thyme took possession of parts of it (what, in fact, is not unwelcome). And all this started from planting just one plant bought at the garden center or given by another gardener.

I'm trying to get my pinks to spread, it's so dry in that area and they really seem to like it. I noticed one thyme seedling this year, I'd love for it to escape as well. No matter how hard I try the violas never seem to self seed. On the other hand Yarrow 'Cerise Queen' invades faster than grass, I wouldn't mind less of it but then it does colonize areas where almost nothing else will grow. Echinops rito is another one, was well behaved for several years and now seedlings everywhere. I can't say I mind though as it's very architectural and a definite survivor. It also grows under the overhang where nothing else will. Except the Lily of the Valley lol.

sw_gardener:

Yes, Pinks like drought and heat, at least the kind I have do. They also like my very sandy, acidic soil. The info on the Net is rather different though: "Pinks grow best in cool, moist conditions, . . . They like a slightly alkaline soil so keep the pH close to 7 . . . Fertilize in spring with a layer of compost and add mulch to keep reduce weed competition" lol. I am not sure what variety I have, will try to make a pic of them. They spread here like weeds, but are welcome (so far). What is interesting they don't invade my gardens. They like to grow in uncultivated areas, in the grass. What kind of soil and Pinks do you have?

With Thyme it is similar story, with the only difference that Thyme reseeds also very freely to my edible garden. Thyme and Pinks seem to like each other company.

But nothing is as aggressive here as Violas.

I would probably welcome your Yarrow. I have, very unfortunately, extremely aggressive white common Yarrow which would like to take over if allowed, doesn't allow any other vegetation in its midst, forming a thick tangle of runners and roots almost impossible to remove. I bought it many years ago in the garden store in an envelope with a label "Wild Flower Mix". May be white Arrow is wild and native in NA, but there are places where it is simply invasive weed. I had an orange colour Yarrow, don't remember which variety or cultivar, but that one just perished after a few years. Have also red variety, it is rather very shy, but survives where planted. Based on my experience with the white variety my advice is, pay attention to your fast spreading Yarrow.

It is interesting what you write about your Violas.

I'd imagine pinks turning to mush in moist conditions lol. My variety is Dianthus deltoids. I bought the seeds(from McKenzie) as the variety 'Arctic Fire' but it turned out to just be the plain species. Which I'm just as pleased with. I've noticed a few seedlings coming up too.

I also have a bunch of other dianthus that I started from seed. They occasionally seed a little too.

I haven't had the white yarrow in a long time but I do remember it's quite aggressive. This year I grew the 'Colorado Mix' from BakerCreek. So far it's very well behaved. I may relocate the fast spreader to an uncultivated area.

Do you have any Artemisia? I've been planting different varieties. They like dry dusty soil but reportedly can be aggressive.

I have Artemisia 'Dusty Miller'. It stays where it was planted many years ago. It is allowed to produce seeds, but they seem to be sterile, I never had any seedlings.

Here are my Pinks growing in the company of Thyme. They like to grow together, but other plants slowly retreat from the area occupied by the two of them. Here they grow in former grassy area (lawn). Is it still called a lawn if there is no grass growing there any more? I don't know what kind are they?

@windberry zone5a BCCanada do yourself a favor and never get chameleon. That plant is a very aggressive invasive, the only good use for it is giving it to your worst enemy. Worst brute I know!

I'm in zone 6a, rochester NY. I have very rich soil that is semi clay like. Everything seems to grow much bigger than expected here lol.

I think I will be okay with the morning glories I planted and the violas, but I will keep an eye on them for sure and if they start showing signs of aggressive invasiveness they'll get pulled or put in pots.

As for lily of the valley... it was originally planted with other things and then completely took over. This is the before photo before the tear out and remodel....

Thank you Amanda for the warning. Sure I will keep far from Chameleon plant. Have enough misery, and no hope, with my Campanula rap.

You have different soil than I do, so hopefully Violas there will be less happy that they are here. It seems they like my sandy soil much too much. Morning Glories, on the other hand, may be more robust in your garden since they tend to be rather shy in mine.

The Lily of the Valley doesn't tolerate the company of other plants, that's for sure. There is only one plant growing in my garden that didn't get chocked by The Lily of the Valley roots, it even seems gaining ground, though ever so slightly, and it is Anemone blanda.

On the pic Anemone blanda blooming, surrounded on all sides be the sprouting Lily of the Valley.

Your pinks look like Dianthus deltoids as well, though it could be a different species. There are quite a few that look similar I think.

I bought a Chameleon plant once but was to nervous to put it in the ground. I read reviews about massive roots 4 feet underground breaking their way through pipes and such . I ended up putting it outside in November and it froze never to return.

As a side point in some shady areas where I dug out campanula rap I piled rocks on top of the area and that seems to have stopped or stalled it.

By your definition much of my garden is made up of ’weeds’. I love self sowers. They make gardening easy because every plant is perfectly suited to the conditions and needs no care. All you need do is edit.

sw_gardener: Thank for the id and for another warning about Houttuynia cordata. As for the Campanula rap I am going to get rid of the whole bed where it grows, may be it will make eradicating it easier.

floral: Self sower is not my definition of a weed. My definition of weed is: a plant aggressively spreading by means of seeds or roots, or both, that is unable to live in harmony with other plants and tries to take over. Regardless if in the wild or in the garden, regardless if ugly or beautiful.

As for self sowing, in my edible garden I always allow vegetates to develop seeds and self sow. Mizuna, Orach, Red Giant Mustard, Spinach I never sow myself but harvest them year after year. I would not allow that if any of those plants tried to be the only one in the garden.

I was going by these words ... ”for me a weed in my garden is a plant that has the potential to spread out of control and take over,” Maybe not the Cyclamen so much but that description fits hollyhocks, nasturtiums and hellebores in my garden and allotment. I have to weed them out and compost them regularly to keep them in check.

This time white or almost white. Very nice. Fresh carpet of Violas already sprouting. Curious what colours they will show now?