Botany Notes. Weeds. 2nd October 2023

This morning, trying unsuccessfully to completely dig out a Dandelion root and a stem of Japanese Anemone from the middle of a Hellebore plant, my mind went to a definition of a weed. I have always thought ‘a weed is a wild flower growing in the wrong place’, but clearly this definition is not comprehensive enough for the above situation.  I referred to Google: ‘A plant that is not valued where it is growing and is usually of vigorous growth; one that tends to overgrow or choke out more desirable plants’. This seems to fit my small front garden well. I can admire the pretty blooms of the Anemone when growing where I planted it but abhor those deeply rooted stems which would dominate the garden if left.

This definition is more like my original one – ‘any wild plant that grows in an unwanted place, especially in a garden or field where it prevents the cultivated plants from growing freely’. This definition fits Bloody Cranesbill in my garden. In my last botany post I was delighted to see this plant growing in the fields towards Kettlewell, not very profusely. In my garden it has vigorous growth around some Sedum. In the spring I pulled out all the roots I could but they are long and strong and as you can see in the above featured photo,  still growing well. I have several plants which fit my first simple definition and they have the advantage of being easy to pull out, the roots consisting of many fine filaments.

I always seem to have had Broad-leaved Willowherb and Hairy Bittercress, more recently Herb Robert, Petty Spurge

and Prickly Sow Thistle

and even more recently, Greater Plantain. I must not forget Aquilegia, both a wild and a cultivated plant, and of course Welsh Poppy. Both deep rooted  and capable of  taking over the garden. Perhaps I should leave them all to get on with it and as there are several grass species including Annual Meadow Grass, I could create my own small meadow!!

Text and photos Christine Bell