Weeds or Plants?

[MazY]

We have this spreading through our garden like there's no tomorrow. As we inherited it when we moved in to our home, we don't know what it is.

Is anyone able to tell us whether it's a weed or a plant, and what it is? All I know is that it's unstoppable, and as ugly as sin. (Well, I think so anyway.)

It stands at about 18 to 24 inches in height.

[Meta menardi]

It is a Spurge (Euphorbia sp.), probably a cultivated variety given where it is. It is all over the next door garden. If you don't like it, that makes it a weed.

[MazY]

Thanks ever so much. It's coming up!

[nightshade]

Keep it it in one place in a clump and it looks quite pretty, attracts flies

[Tiggrx]

Looks a bit like Mrs Robb's Bonnet (Euphorbia amygdaloides ssp. robbiae). It is a garden plant (a native of Turkey) but can be a bit rampant.

[Bub-les]

My father always said " A weed is any plant that is growing in the wrong place!"
On this basis your plant is a weed. Try and get rid of it before it sets seed.
Barbara

[Meta menardi]

In the right place the lime green colour can set off other plants and other things quite well.

[galanthus]

I have some randomly growing in my garden here and there, I think it's quite attractive and don't think anything is a weed. Who are we to call plants weeds anyway ? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, now, where was that stinkhorn..........

[MazY]

Thank you all so much. Above and beyond our expectations. I've rarely encountered a site where so many people really know their stuff, and share it so freely.

Thank you again - but it's still coming up.

[Meta menardi]

Originally Posted by MazY

I've rarely encountered a site where so many people really know their stuff, and share it so freely.

It's dog eat dog competition, not generosity!

[Paul mabbott]

They can become rather numerous sometimes and need thinning out. Best to try and avoid that by chopping seed heads off before seeds are ripe. If you pull them up, wear gloves and don't get the milky sap on your skin or, especially, eyes. It can be rather caustic.

[Cotham Marble]

Originally Posted by Paul mabbott

If you pull them up, wear gloves and don't get the milky sap on your skin or, especially, eyes. It can be rather caustic.

A valid WARNING ! The latex can have a photosensitising effect leading to very painful blistering.

CM

[MazY]

As an eczema suffer, I've taken note! Thanks for the warnings.

[galanthus]

Originally Posted by Meta menardi

It's dog eat dog competition, not generosity!

[wildherbalian85]

Originally Posted by Paul mabbott

They can become rather numerous sometimes and need thinning out. Best to try and avoid that by chopping seed heads off before seeds are ripe. If you pull them up, wear gloves and don't get the milky sap on your skin or, especially, eyes. It can be rather caustic.

I once tasted some of that sap - it would do well in a curry if wasn't for it being toxic

[JennyS]

I once tasted some of that sap - it would do well in a curry if wasn't for it being toxic

Yeah, and a friend of mine, his partner and two woofers ended up in hospital as he'd dug water-hemlock root in mistake for parsnips and put it their curry......

You need to be careful, especially when you're not 100% sure of IDs

[poschiavanus]

I wouldn't go tasting sap from any Euphorbia: I think they have been used in the past for catching fish by poisoning them. My impression was that the plant which started the thread looks like Sun Spurge E. helioscopa, which I think should be rather more invasive than Mrs Robb's Bonnet. I'm plagued by the rather less attractive Petty Spurge.

HTH,

poschiavanus