I hesitate to suggest that another heading might be added to the long list of categories we now have on the Forums . . . so I won't. If we did however :-), I think WEEDS could be a focus of many comments especially now that more and more 'exotic' species are moving in. In the 14 years I've lived my cherished Garry Oak region (only 45 years since development here began), there has been a continual encroachment of invasive weeds such as Cytisus scoparius (Scotch Broom), Daphne laureola, Euphorbia esula, Anthriscus caucalis (Bur Chervil), Rubus armeniacus (Blackberry) plus all sorts of grasses and perennials. I'm going out tomorrow to try to take out a blackberry on a steep bluff . . . if you don't hear from me again, you'll know what happened. Seriously though, we've at least got to try to keep these thugs under control and somehow educate our neighbours that these seemingly pretty plants are not a gift of nature to make gardening easier somehow. However dangerous they may be to people, they are infinitely more dangerous to the environment. Attached: Wall lettuce. Described as growing 2 to 3 feet tall . . . in this photo, close to 5 feet.
Margot, we do have the Plants: Conservation forum, for which the description is: Discuss invasive plants, habitat loss, climate change, and other topics related to plant conservation.My Gorse posting was in that forum. Shall we move this? You can go to town on them - I'm sure you can do better on "seemingly pretty plants" than that wall lettuce.
Here is a weed or maybe two, depending where you are and what you think of Rosa rugosa. I don't think it's supposed to be a problem around here, but it's considered invasive along seashores in northern Europe and has become naturalized along the coasts in New England and the Pacific Northwest. Wikipedia. I like their comment about how it was said to be "straying rapidly". But I'm actually posting this for the Solanum dulcamara, bittersweet nightshade, running through the rose, which I have not noticed before in this Parks Board planting at the seawall under the Burrard Bridge. The leaves on this are often lobed at the base, but not always. I can see a few leaves with lobes at the right edge of the last photo.
By 2018 the abundantly weedy Himalayan or European blackberry of the area extending from Alaska to California, Montana and the Atlantic coast was being considered to be Rubus bifrons rather than R. armeniacus.
This is wild Blackberry growing everywhere near to me. Taking over dead trees as well. The flowers are very pretty and there will be an abundance of fruit for birds and people alike come September. So some weeds do serve a very good purpose. BlackBerry and apple pie springs to mind!!!!!!! D
These Dandelion weeds are being allowed to grow on traditionally cut grass verges in my area. It has taken many years of letters to the council to allow for this to happen to encourage bees and insects that are becoming scarce. And IMO it looks lovely. More wild flowers next on verges !!!! More letters, Lol. D
I was wondering where I had recently seen the name Rubus bifrons, have just come across it again - Douglas Justice included it in his Featured Plants in June 2020 in the Neighbourhood - UBC Botanical Garden, under June 8-14.
