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Weed or not weed?

NutcrackerSouthSomersetNutcrackerSouthSomerset Posts: 143
in Plants

I have a clump of this growing in my new garden. It seems to increase by running roots, no sign of any flowers (yet). Can anyone identify it?  The borders have been well tended in the past by the look of things, there aren’t many weeds here, apart from a bit of  groundsel,
rose bay willow herb.
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  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    Golden rod?
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    It has a look of veronica, but lots of things have similar leaves. Goldenrod is one.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • NutcrackerSouthSomersetNutcrackerSouthSomerset Posts: 143
    Thanks @JennyJ.I’ll leave it a while to see if it develops flowers. I’m not sure it’s golden rod.  It’s only 30 cm tall and the stems are quite glaucous.  It was the running rooting system that has me slightly alarmed…. 
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    The plant you’ve photographed in the first picture with the root looks like a buttercup, not the same as the other photos. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • NutcrackerSouthSomersetNutcrackerSouthSomerset Posts: 143
    No, it’s definitely the same plant, from the edge of the clump.
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    Agree with @Lyn, there are 2 separate plants shown in your photos, the leaves are very different.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I agree. The plant in the first image is not the same as the plant in the following pictures.  

    It may seem to be from the same clump but that doesn’t mean it’s the same plant … plants spread, creep and infiltrate nearby clumps. 

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





  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I agree too. Weeds just seed in, so it'll just be right in at the base of the other plant. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • NutcrackerSouthSomersetNutcrackerSouthSomerset Posts: 143
    Thanks all for your input so far.  I have some clearer photos now which may help with identification.  You will see that the lower leaves of the plant are lobed. They look a little like plain leaf parsley, while the top growth leaves are lanceolate and serrated. You can clearly see the running root system.  After 50+years of gardening I’m aware what buttercup roots in all their habits look like. But others may not. I’ve included a small specimen of creeping buttercup for comparison above the mystery plant roots. The difference being that my mystery plant runners are below the soil level, this particular buttercup’s runners  run along the top of the ground before throwing roots out.

    I’m inclined to leave the clump to see what happens, as the border has been well tended in the past and hopefully it’s not a chance weed that has muscled in.


  • Red TulipRed Tulip Posts: 24
    It looks quiet tall, I'm not sure but was wondering rudbeckia laciniata? Or perhaps some other rudbeckia, the clump photo does not look right for R. laciniata
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