any thoughts...

[eeyore]

on what this is ... This is on one of our islands which until we got busy with the chainsaws last year was principally thorn scrub. Now there are carpets of this stuff but we cant identify it

(apologies for the small file size , I am on my mums laptop so had to resize with MS picture manager as no photoshop)

[Deer Stalker]

This reminds me of Canadian Fleabane. Islands? How many you got & where?

[eeyore]

We have 1 in north willen lake (where this was taken) , 2 in caldecotte lake , 2 in furzton lake , and 3 at stony stratford nature reserve. All in milton keynes

[Deer Stalker]

Yep. They like a bit of disturbance I think.

[eeyore]

we also have a herd of goats grazing / browsing on the island....

[Deer Stalker]

What do you hope to get coming up?

[Tiggrx]

Sorry just replied to this in the Gallery - almost certainly Canadian Fleabane (Conyza canadensis) with is quite common in MK, although Guernsey Fleabane (Conyza sumatrensis) has recently reached the area - but has not been recorded from any of the sites you mention. You will tend to see more of both species in urban streets (Stony Stratford, Wolverton, Bletchley etc.) than in the parks.

[honeybee]

is it a tall plant? looks like something that sprouted in my garden and went to fluffy seed heads.

[aeshna5]

It's interesting that around London, the more recent colonist, Guernsey Fleabane now appears more abundant than Canadian Fleabane- both rather scruffy plants. Are there any larvae that utilise them as foodplants?

[Jonny]

Originally Posted by Tiggrx

Sorry just replied to this in the Gallery - almost certainly Canadian Fleabane (Conyza canadensis) with is quite common in MK, although Guernsey Fleabane (Conyza sumatrensis) has recently reached the area - but has not been recorded from any of the sites you mention. You will tend to see more of both species in urban streets (Stony Stratford, Wolverton, Bletchley etc.) than in the parks.

Funny you should mention that Tig, on my plant surveying at the nature reserve last year, I found what I thought was canadian fleabane, and it turned out to be guernsey fleabane, verified by a botanist who works at the national seedbank...........