Thread: Mystery Weed
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Old 04-02-2008, 08:59 AM posted to uk.rec.gardening
Nick Maclaren Nick Maclaren is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Jul 2006
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Default Mystery Weed


In article ,
Charlie Pridham writes:
| In article ,
| says...
|
| I am new to the UK from the US and haved moved into a wonderful cottage
| with a rather extensive but overgrown garden. There is something(I can
| only assume that it is a weed) that has taken over virtually every inch
| of the beds, but after scouring the internet, I have been unable to
| identify it. Can anyone help? I would also appreciate any advice on
| eradicating it. I would like to clear my beds and plant, but would hate
| for it to take over again, as it looks like it is quite aggressive. Any
| help would be great!
|
| That looks like one of the comphreys, probably symphitum ibericum (check
| the spelling!) its difficult to control on heavy soils but on my light
| soil makes a good well behaved ground cover under trees etc

Not to me, it doesn't! It looks like what I think of as enchanter's
nightshade (though I may be wrong in that) - a most pernicious weed.
It runs underground, has both stolons and very thin roots, and will
regrow from both (including deep roots).

The question is how big, thick and hairy are the leaves, and are they
'juicy' when broken? Comfrey is all of those, and the weed I am
thinking of isn't.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.