Unknown Weed

[ic3guy]

Hey, I'm trying to find info on these flowers/weeds that are all over my backyard. Any info would be greatly appreciated.





Thank you!

[wingdesigner]

Ic3guy, try lamium/lamiastrum or some kind of mint-related thing. They spread by tough underground runners and are a bear to eradicate. If it's in an area to be reseeded for lawn, maybe a broadleaf weed killer, but don't count on it. If in an area to be converted to garden bed, I'd try pulling/popping as much of the plant and runners, then lasagna-ing it for a season. However, if there's any around the edges, it'll creep back in. Requires much vigilance to keep out. I had some in my back yard, and with help from neighbours who pulled it out on their sides, we pretty much have it licked. Without their help, it would be a losing battle. Of course, if you like the stuff, you'll have a yard full without much trouble! Rots o ruck.

Happy Gardening,

Wingdesigner

[opabinia51]

I don't recognize this flower but, if it is in the Mint Family; the only sure fire way to be rid of it is to dig up the area and discard all root matter of the weed.
At Helpful gardener we tend to like to not use poisons because poisons don't just kill the weed or insect pest but they also kill all sorts of beneficial plants and insects.

[ic3guy]

Thnaks for your input!

Here in my city all pesticides have been banned, so I'd rather not take that route. They aren't an unpleasant weed in my lawn, maybe I will just learn to live with them.

I will try to keep the lawn well cut and fertilized.

[Grey]

I have a weed that looks a lot like that too! I HOPE it isn't in the mint family or we're doomed! lol.

What city are you in, that's banned chemicals?

[The Helpful Gardener]

Stop the killing!

That's prunella, or self-heal, and we should all have some in our lawns (I do).

It has both diuretic and antibacterial components; Chinese use it for high blood pressure, among other things and it makes a great poultice for minor wounds...

When did we get so anal about lawns It's not natural or healthy (mentally or for the environment ) Old English lawns had bellis, crocus, and all sorts of flowers in them.

Then Scotts wanted to sell more fertilizer and told us anything that wasn't grass was a weed. It' working great for them and BAD for us, and the environment around us.

I like (and use) my prunella; what can your lawn heal?

Scott

[Grey]

I like the flowers, personally. And I could care less about a lawn - but the DH is a nice-lawn freak (used to work at a golf course, LOL). If I had my way there wouldn't be any mowing to do, the yard would be nothing but garden paths and stacks of veggies and flowers.

I'll tell the DH it's a GOOD plant. It only seems to be in the front yard, so maybe he can have his nice lawn in the backyard?

[ic3guy]

What city are you in, that's banned chemicals?

Montreal, Quebec Canada

[Guest]

I guess ground ivy aka creeping charley. A noxious weed that some numbskull thought would be a great groundcover!

Self heal leaf has a oval shape to the bottom of the leaf and a pointed or lance shaped tip. Its flower is more to the violet/magenta side of purple and is whorled or spiked. It flowers in late summer/ early fall. Can grow up to 18-24" tall. Self heal is very aromatic. Have never noticed if ground ivy is.

Ground Ivy has the more serrated edged rounded leaf seen in the pic. Its flower is a trumpet shaped deep lavender purple/blue, similar to what I see in the pic . A close up of a leaf against a white background would be helpful. Plant stays prostrate with a vining tendancy. Flowers appear in early spring. Stem is square. Genus name Glechoma hederacea.

Square stems are usually associated with the Mints but that Genus name is Mentha.

[The Helpful Gardener]

She strikes again!

http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/P3/P34370.HTM
I am often humbled by what I do not know, but rarely repeatedly by the same person! You have excellent i.d. skills; you a pro, perchance?

Much Humbled Pro

[Grey]

And it prefers the shade, am I right?

Any good methods of control? Just pull em?

[Guest]

To: Helpful Gardener -

Helpful Gardener 1,000 + posts
Myself 15 posts
No poll is needed to decide who the pro is here!!

I could only be considered a pro in the sense of having probably made every gardening mistake in the proverbial book and then some. Am sure the saying "Some mistakes are to much fun to only make once" was tailor coined to describe how I have acquired my gardening skills(?). Also, since I had planned to be Nancy Drew or Sherlock Holmes when I grew up, but one day discovered that was never going to happen, I must observe things from a detectives view. Or maybe I've just watched one to many Columbo or Monk episodes!! But, I don't think so.

To: Grey
I have ground ivy in a few sunny areas but the soil is of such poor quality it struggles there and looks nothing like the posted sun photo. In the shady areas the patches are thick. I have found the best sucess in making a dent in theses patches is pouring boiling water on the patch and removing individual roots along the vine using two silverware forks. I place a fork on each side of where the vine attaches to the ground and lift as opposed to pulling. In the areas where I pull, the ivy reappears, while that doesn't happen in the areas where I lift. Pulling must leave behind pieces of root. Since this is in a very dense area where not much else grows I can at least keep it contained with this method. I am sure tree roots are underneath the patches so I am not willing to use chemicals. I should also mention there are no other valuable plants adjacent to this area that would affected by the use of boiling water.

I keep wondering if the ground ivy in the posted photos could have possibly cross polinated with a mint. One photo shows the ivy growing upward in a definite mint pattern. Boy, now that combo would be a gardener's nightmare.

[The Helpful Gardener]

It is family Lamiaceae (as is mint AND Lamium) so good guesses all around...

You are too humble. Stick around; I need someone to check up on me...

Scott

[Guest]

Appreciate the Lamiaceae Family lead. Have been attempting to compile a list of mint related plants and this may be the missing link that relates my current finds: Bee Balm, Lemon Balm, now Lamium and Ground Ivy?????

[The Helpful Gardener]

Calamintha, Agastache, and Hyssopus too!