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Mystery 'weed' ID

CharlotteFCharlotteF Posts: 337
in Plants
Apologies for the spam of questions this morning, I'm out in the garden in a moment of sunshine! 

I've had lots of these popping up across the veg patch area this year. The stems are sturdy as though they'll become woody. Not buddleja at I've pulled them from the same area and could compare. I'd have assumed some kind of prunus, except they've often appeared in dense rashes, so the seeds must be quite small. In the path as well so they haven't come in with the manure.

Just curious really; they're not real troublemakers. None have flowered so they're definitely not a nuisance annual and they pull up easily. Grateful for any ideas, thanks.


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  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited October 2021
    My first thought was Prunus seedlings too but you’ve discounted that. 

    Any rudbeckia in the garden?🤔 





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





  • CharlotteFCharlotteF Posts: 337
    Dovefromabove said:
    My first thought was Prunus seedlings too but you’ve discounted that. 

    Any rudbeckia in the garden?🤔 




    Only this year, annuals that haven't had a chance to seed. These have been popping up since spring. Perhaps it could be prunus, there are lots across the neighbouring gardens. There's also a monster philadelphus on the back boundary but the leaves look wrong and I'm not sure they seed about? 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I’ve never known a philadelphus to seed about. 

    I’d have thought prunus from stones are more likely to be individuals than in patches, and you’d see the stones at the roots. And they pull up easily so definitely not suckers 🤔 

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





  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    Looks a bit like Enchanters Nightshade.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • CharlotteFCharlotteF Posts: 337
    I'm glad I'm not just missing something really obvious then - they've got me stumped! 
  • CharlotteFCharlotteF Posts: 337
    punkdoc said:
    Looks a bit like Enchanters Nightshade.
    Cross posted, sorry! There is nightshade along the back boundary, off to Google... 
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    edited October 2021
    My guess would also be cherry seedlings.  If in patches, are they underneath anywhere where a pigeon could perch and, erm, deposit them?  Google found this which looks close:

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • CharlotteFCharlotteF Posts: 337
    I think @punkdoc has it. Different nightshade to the solanum on the boundary, but related to willowherb, which I had thought it might be when it was very small. Our back boundary is the railway, so there could be all manner of things behind it, and this would match the seeding pattern.

    @BobTheGardener no, the areas aren't overhung anywhere and although very similar it is less upright and tough than the other cherry seedlings we get here and there.

    Thanks all, mystery solved I think! I shall just keep pulling and hopefully wherever they have come from all go back to being less prolific as in other years! 
  • AsarumAsarum Posts: 661
    If it is enchanters nightshade it will have long white roots/ runners. 
    I think it may be goat willow.  The top picture has tiny stipules at the base of one leaf.
    East Anglia
  • CharlotteFCharlotteF Posts: 337
    edited October 2021
    Asarum said:
    If it is enchanters nightshade it will have long white roots/ runners. 
    I think it may be goat willow.  The top picture has tiny stipules at the base of one leaf.
    You're right! No long roots, and there was loads of fluff floating around this spring. 
    This pic definitely matches the ones I've been more on top of weeding... 
    https://images.app.goo.gl/ZSfmhpCdQ62emdP79
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