Forum home Plants
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Plant ID please

LatimerLatimer Posts: 1,068
Hi all,

As seedlings I thought these were foxgloves but now I'm not so sure, the leaves look too narrow. Should I be pulling them out?


I’ve no idea what I’m doing. 
«1

Posts

  • didywdidyw Posts: 3,573
    I think that's rosebay willow herb, so yes it needs pulling out.  I had a really healthy specimen in my border that I reluctantly yanked out as it looked so lovely.  But look around and you'll see many more smaller ones so they can't be left. 
    Gardening in East Suffolk on dry sandy soil.
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    It looks like a willowherb to me, which is a weed

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • One of my favourite weeds! They do look lovely in abundance, along the hedgerow 😊. I guess you could let it flower but not seed ... since it's got that far? 🤷🏼‍♀️
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I agree they do look lovely as a big group - but in a wild environment.
    Where I walk with my dog there is a huge patch of them and they do look really good when there's a mass of them in flower, but within days the fluffy seeds fill the air and many seem to end up in my garden! :)

    I note that Crocus sell the white variety - only £13 for a 9cm pot!!!!!

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @Pete.8 Not sure but are the white ones difficult to grow for some reason. I have seen a photo of a large patch of them beautiful... 
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I wouldn't think so.
    The RHS describes the white variety as-
    'Album' is a fast-growing, strongly-spreading, rhizomatous perennial forming an extensive patch of erect stems with white flowers 2cm across from mid-summer to early autumn.
    Accompanied by a pic of a pod exploding with fluffy seeds

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Willowherb is fine - when it isn't in your garden  ;)
    Each plant can produce up to 100,000 seeds, and they just take over if allowed. 

    I have to be careful when I'm out for a walk that seed doesn't stick to clothing. They're bad enough because of seeding in from round about - I don't want to actively bring them home with me!
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • LatimerLatimer Posts: 1,068
    Thank you everyone, I'll whip them out asap. 

    Last year my garden got very neglected through the bank end of summer ASI had to be away from home for work and I think I'm paying for that this year, the self seeders are everywhere!
    I’ve no idea what I’m doing. 
  • Arthur1Arthur1 Posts: 542
    I planted the white willow herb in a previous garden. It was so beautiful. By the time I moved it was 20 foot across!
  • LunarSeaLunarSea Posts: 1,923
    This is one of the white ones managing to compete with a thug of a Helianthus.


    Clay soil - Cheshire/Derbyshire border

    I play with plants and soil and sometimes it's successful

Sign In or Register to comment.