Ask The Plant Expert: “Can you identify these weeds? Please Help! I am in Central California and want to pasture some milk goats. I know the one with yellow “fruit” is a member of the Nightshade family and deadly to goats. Please help me identify what is growing here!” – Mad Science
Circle of Life For This Yellow Spiny Weed
Ask The Plant Expert: Here we go again. You identified my crocus (which I suspected) and now I have another “just showed up” plant. She’s cute. She could be a weed. If she’s a plant or flower I will keep her, put her somewhere else. She is in the middle of a landscape project. If she’s a weed, no matter how cute she must go. The circle of life. –Rochelle
Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply: It is a Buffalo-Bur (Solanum rostratum). Depending on your thoughts on poisonous plants, you may want to get rid of it. This plant is in the nightshade family. The leaves and green fruits are poisonous and contain glycoalkaloid solanine.
If humans or animals come in contact with the burs (spines) intense lingering pain can occur. This is especially problematic for dogs who will chew and lick their feet if they step on this plant. It is sad that beautiful plants like these also come with dangers.
Hope this information helps!
Is This A Weed or Flower?
Ask The Plant Expert: Is this a weed or a flower?
Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply: Cynthia,
I believe this is a Cleome which can be either an annual or perennial flower depending on which species it is. Many people love this plant in their garden. I personal like the look but do not like the smell of the plant. In the greenhouses, it smells like cat pee.
I hope this information helps. Please let me know if you need help with anything else.
What Is This Unique Desert Wildflower?
Ask The Plant Expert: I have this “weed” in my Albuquerque, NM area garden. I have searched for hours in various wild flower and weed identification websites and can’t find it anywhere. It has woody stems and leathery, succulent leaves. I would like to move it to another part of my garden, but would also like to know what it is. Any ideas?
Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply: The person helping me identify the plant believes it is a Abronia Umbellata or Abronia Villoso.
One way to get a true positive identification is to take a leaf, bloom and picture to your state extension service office.
Hope this information is helpful.
Please let me know if I can help with anything else.
Is This A Woodland Plant Or An Invasive Weed?
Ask the Expert: Plant name
This an outside plant. It is green with tin white flowers. During the day the e leaves are out straight. At dusk, they lay down like a tiny umbrella. Judy
Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply:
The plant is most likely Oxalis regnelli. For some this is invasive weed. Others it is a beautiful woodland plant. It is one of 500 species of Oxalis which be found as fibrous-rooted, bulbous, rhizomatous, or tuberous annuals or perennials. They are progated from seed or by division. Some form of Oxalis are called Shamrocks and are given as gifts on St Patrick’s Day.
Cleveland florists are proud to bring you this plant identification question.
What Is This Weed Under My Cotoneaster and How Do I Get Rid Of It?
Ask the Expert: killing weed without killing cotoneaster
What is this weed growing under my cotoneaster shrubs, and how can I kill the weeds without killing the cotoneaster? I have Trimec Plus for post emerge grass weeds, but would that be safe to spray on the cotoneaster to get at the weeds underneath? Rex
Plant Expert Reply:
What you have is called vetch. It is a weed that we find often in lawns, but will also present itself in shrub beds. Trimec Plus is a product for lawn/turf application only. I would not recommend spraying it on your cotoneaster since it is a “broadleaf” killer. Cotoneaster is considered a broad leaf and therefore Trimec would damage the Cotoneaster. Instead I would wick it with a contact killer like Roundup or Hi Yield Killzall.
The method of wicking involves applying the chemical only to the plant you want to kill. You can surround your cotoneaster with a piece of cardboard and then spray the weed. Or you can take a piece of absorbent material and dip in chemical and then touch the weed.
I usually pull this weed and apply a pre-emerge granule to the soil to keep it from coming up again. I use a product called American weed and grass stopper about twice a year in my beds.
You can get all of the products I mentioned at your local garden center and nursery.
This Flower Shop Network weed identification was brought to you by Houston Florists
Purple Flowering Weed Takes Over Charleston Yard
Ask the Expert: Can you ID this weed?
I live in Charleston, SC and it is taking over my yard this spring. It has a purple flower.
THanks. Mac
Plant Expert Reply:
What you have is called Spring Vetch (Vicia sativa). In most places it is considered a weed. To get rid of it in your yard, you can spray 2 4 D or a Greenlight product called wipe-out. These products will kill the broadleaf weeds in your yard, but they will not harm the grass. Your local garden center and nursery in will have this product on the shelf. They will be able to tell you how to mix it and when to spray it in your area.
Caution: 2 4 d or wipe out can only be used in yards. It can not be used in shrub beds.
This weed identification question was sponsored by the local florists in Charleston SC.
What Is This Early Spring Weed With Purple Flower
Ask the Expert: Can you identify this plant? (weed) Picture enclosed, I hope, Thanks. Rufus
Plant Expert Reply:
The plant is called Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule). Members of the Lamium genus can run the gamut from annuls to perennials and from wanted to unwanted plants. In this case Henbit is usually considered a weed. It usually pops up in early spring in lawns, flower & shrub beds. In the lawn, you can spray 2 4 D to get rid of it. It is a little more tricky in the shrub beds because the 2 4 D will damage the shrubs and the flowers if the chemical gets on them. I recommend pulling the Henbit that is in the shrub, but would spray the Henbit that is in the lawn.
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Carpet Weed Is Not Desirable
Ask the Expert: please ID plant
I want to know if this plant should be in my planter or not. I’m afraid that it may have been seeded by an airborn weed. I can’t taste anything with the leaf. The plants are 4-6 inches high. Elaine
Plant Expert Reply:
I believe the plant is called Carpet Weed (Mollugo verticillata) and is something you do not want. You would be correct that the seed probably blew into your pot.
Name This Flower With A Prickly Seed Pod
Ask The Expert: What is this Flower?
This plant has light whitish blue flowers that look like a morning glory but after flowering get a prickly seed pod on it and plant is about 2 ft tall. Sure is weird looking. I live in Penna. Thanks Brenda
see attached photos.