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Dog Mercury

trout76trout76 Posts: 28

Bit of identification help required. First two I’m guessing could be dog mercury? It’s spreading 🙈 Our garden has a track at the back and woodland beyond. I’m not 100% sure it is as the leave look broader that what I’ve found whilst searching. 3rd pic I haven’t any idea what the broad leaves are. This garden is throwing all sorts up! Although I could cry when I think about how extensive the St. John’s wort is 😢

Posts

  • AsarumAsarum Posts: 661
    I’m afraid the first one is ground elder.
    The second one is probably Coltsfoot or Tussilago farfara. Lovely name!
    East Anglia
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    The first one is Ground Elder. A bit tenacious but controllable if you stick at it. 

    The second could be Butterbur ... but there are other native plants with leaves a bit like that. Could we see the stems please?
    Did you see see any flowers in early spring?
    https://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/discover-wild-plants-nature/plant-fungi-species/butterbur


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Silver surferSilver surfer Posts: 4,719
    edited June 2020
    Agree with Asarum.

    1. Aegopodium  podagraria...common name Ground elder...a horrid invasive thug.


    2. Pics below show Tussilago farfara.,,,common name Coltsfoot.

    Perthshire. SCOTLAND .
  • trout76trout76 Posts: 28
    Oh dear lord! I totally forgot about grounds elder. With that and the St John’s wort I’m actually tempted to strip out the lot and start again. The garden hasn’t been touched in a long time. It is throwing up some nice surprises but they’re far outweighed by the nasty ones. Found bindweed in my redcurrant bushes today. 
    From the pictures above it does look like coltsfoot...goes off to read up on it whilst holding a gin and tonic to steady my nerves in case of more bad news 🤪
  • trout76trout76 Posts: 28
    I rubbed the stem of the colt foot and the fluffiness came off which I believe is a clue? 
  • trout76trout76 Posts: 28
    Weirdly I don’t recall seeing any yellow flowers at all before the leaves formed...odd! I have welsh poppies in the same area so I’ve looked quite a few times at that spot as it’s just by the back door 🤔
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