Actually, I had hoped that I would be able to cordon off a portion of
land and sort of just sit back to see what grows, trimming and weeding
to effect. Should have known better to hope that it would be that
simple! But what do you think such a bed would look like in a year or
two if I went that route? Very Tall Grass?

Tall grass and weeds, mostly Eurasian, most likely. If you're in
southern Alabama, you may have fun with South American weeds, too.
Stop at any spoils pile that's been sitting around for 6 months or a year,
near a construction site, and you'll get a good idea of what your patch
would look like.


I thought that weeds we commonly pull out of our gardens ARE native
plants. I guess not? Wow, in that case: I didn't realize that we
trashed native species (plant and animal) THAT much! Sad, so even our
native wildflowers are in danger, eh?

Nope, non natives for the most part. Yes, it is sad -- that's also part
of the loss of native insects, birds, snakes, etc. Weeds can also
alter the fire ecology of an area.

Interesting that nonative things
always seem to be the most aggressive--I suppose that comes from
hundreds of years of heavy human habitation over in Europe.

Actually, it's more because species that can reproduce quickly are more
likely to be transported out of their native area (where they are usually
controlled by diseases and animals that use the species), to an area where
they have few or no "enemies". I don't know if you're familiar with
northern lawns, but northern US gardeners spend a lot of time swearing
at dandelions. Big, robust things that seem to takeover overnight. When
I met them in England, they were pale shadows of the species I knew all
too intimately from spending my childhood digging 'em out of the lawn.

Shipping and agriculture increase the chances of accidentally
or on purpose bringing in non-native species.
For instance, johnsongrass was brought in deliberately as cattle forage;
kudzu as chicken feed. Russian thistle was probably introduced in the wool
of imported sheep. Multiflora rose was a rose-grafting understock. Most
Queen Anne's Lace is a descendant of cultivated carrot. Ships used to bring
soil and rocks as ballast, and dump them when they were picking up heavy
cargo. Etc., etc., etc.

There are some weeds that are native to the US -- Canada thistle is
another I'm quite familiar with -- but most natives are kept in some
sort of balance by the rest of the members of their environment.

I did look on suspiciously at the wildflower mixes I've seen at Home
Depot and all, since they looked different than what I've seen on
nature trails. No recognizable bloodroot, violets, azaelas, etc. Not
to mention that it seemed just too easy! Are at least most sunflowers
native in many areas....say, for example, black oil sunflower commonly
fed to birds?

All of the true are sunflowers are native -- they're one of our very few
native species that have made it to agricultural use.

I had hoped to start from seed, if not from scratch. Maybe nursery
stock would be a better route, but seeds SEEM easier in the short
term.

So is there a good list of common weed garden plants out there on the
web that someone has bookmarked? I found this:
http://www.homestore.com/HomeGarden/...?poe=homestore

Further confusing the issue is that a weed that's a big PITA in one area
may not be an issue in another, mostly because of environmental factors.
You'll never hear a Montanan complaining of kudzu, for instance, while
you don't have to worry about garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolaris). Out
here near Portland, OR, some of our worst weeds include Scotch broom,
Himalayan blackberry, and English ivy... all brought in "for pretty", all
now costing millions of dollars to try to control.

Here's a starter list of "portraits of invasive alien species":
http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact.htm The two pdfs at the bottom
of the page aren't a bad introduction to weed science.

And here's a report detailing what happens over time as weeds invade:
http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact.htm Although it deals with the
western states, the same thing happens in every area -- just change
the names of the plants and the names of the counties.

Want some help picking native species that will do well in your yard,
and look pretty? Look he
http://www.wildflower2.org/index.html and he
http://www.auburn.edu/~deancar/

Kay