This plant (Circaea lutetiana) has appeared out of nowhere in my garden,
specifically in my stone troughs. Should I leave it alone, as it's quite
attractive, or deal with it before it gets out of hand? Does anyone here
have experience of it?

someone

"someone" wrote in message
...
This plant (Circaea lutetiana) has appeared out of nowhere in my garden,
specifically in my stone troughs. Should I leave it alone, as it's quite
attractive, or deal with it before it gets out of hand? Does anyone here
have experience of it?

Any reason to kill it?

Tina

Once it gets established, it is capable of spreading and carpeting the soil.It spreads by creeping roots, which break easily, and presumably also by seed, since it pops up in all corners of the garden. On the other hand, it's quite easy to pull. I'd regard it as something on the lines of germander speedwell, not as bad as, say, Alchemilla mollis, dandelion or salad burnet (even though they srpead as individual plants)

In message , kay
writes

'Christina Websell[_2_ Wrote:
;893426']"someone" wrote in message
...-
This plant (Circaea lutetiana) has appeared out of nowhere in my
garden,
specifically in my stone troughs. Should I leave it alone, as it's
quite
attractive, or deal with it before it gets out of hand? Does anyone
here
have experience of it?
-
Any reason to kill it?



Once it gets established, it is capable of spreading and carpeting the
soil.It spreads by creeping roots, which break easily, and presumably
also by seed, since it pops up in all corners of the garden. On the
other hand, it's quite easy to pull. I'd regard it as something on the
lines of germander speedwell, not as bad as, say, Alchemilla mollis,
dandelion or salad burnet (even though they srpead as individual plants)

I know it as a plant of shady woodlands. Would I be right in expecting
it to fail to establish in most garden contexts?
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley

No. Underneath any bush or even herbaceous perennial has much the same characteristics as a shady woodland. Though I admit my garden is shadier and more unkempt than most.

Besides, most hings that live in shade, or on poor dry soil, or other unfavourable situation, do so, not because they like the situation, but because they don't like competition. Keep the competition down (as we tend to do in gardens) and they will love the better conditions.

(Fitter says "a carpeter, sometimes unwelcome in gardens")

"Stewart Robert Hinsley" wrote in message
...
In message , kay
writes

'Christina Websell[_2_ Wrote:
;893426']"someone" wrote in message
...-
This plant (Circaea lutetiana) has appeared out of nowhere in my
garden,
specifically in my stone troughs. Should I leave it alone, as it's
quite
attractive, or deal with it before it gets out of hand? Does anyone
here
have experience of it?
-
Any reason to kill it?



Once it gets established, it is capable of spreading and carpeting the
soil.It spreads by creeping roots, which break easily, and presumably
also by seed, since it pops up in all corners of the garden. On the
other hand, it's quite easy to pull. I'd regard it as something on the
lines of germander speedwell, not as bad as, say, Alchemilla mollis,
dandelion or salad burnet (even though they srpead as individual plants)

I know it as a plant of shady woodlands. Would I be right in expecting it
to fail to establish in most garden contexts?
--

Thank you to Christina and kay for their comments.

It may well be a plant of shady woodlands but it is certainly not failing to
establish in my garden context. It must have blown in from somewhere and
has established itself out of the blue in a small stone trough I've
constructed for my Tulbaghias.

I think it will shortly be history in my garden, cute though it is.

someone

On 10/07/2010 00:17, someone wrote:
"Stewart Robert wrote in message
...
In , kay
writes

'Christina Websell[_2_ Wrote:
;893426']"someone" wrote in message
...-
This plant (Circaea lutetiana) has appeared out of nowhere in my
garden,
specifically in my stone troughs. Should I leave it alone, as it's
quite
attractive, or deal with it before it gets out of hand? Does anyone
here
have experience of it?
-
Any reason to kill it?



Once it gets established, it is capable of spreading and carpeting the
soil.It spreads by creeping roots, which break easily, and presumably
also by seed, since it pops up in all corners of the garden. On the
other hand, it's quite easy to pull. I'd regard it as something on the
lines of germander speedwell, not as bad as, say, Alchemilla mollis,
dandelion or salad burnet (even though they srpead as individual plants)

I know it as a plant of shady woodlands. Would I be right in expecting it
to fail to establish in most garden contexts?
--

Thank you to Christina and kay for their comments.

It may well be a plant of shady woodlands but it is certainly not failing to
establish in my garden context. It must have blown in from somewhere and
has established itself out of the blue in a small stone trough I've
constructed for my Tulbaghias.

I think it will shortly be history in my garden, cute though it is.

someone


It is undeniably pretty. It's a saxifrage relative, I believe. In my
garden it is very invasive and I have trouble getting rid of it in some
places, hence it gradually finds its way back where I've already cleared
it. It spreads both by its brittle white roots and by seed. The seed
is covered in fine barbs, so it clings to clothing and animal fur like
Velcro. It drives me mad (I bet you always wondered how that happened
:~/), so I'm pleased kto hear you're getting rid of it.

Spider

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay