unknown plant... HELP!!

Jun 13, 2012 8 Replies

i am new to this forum and to gardening my father really enjoys it but has found a plant in my cousins garden that he doesnt know what the name is... I was wondering if any one could help in naming this plant... thank you :)


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The mature foliage near the bottom resembles that of a tree-like weed that was a recent target when I was spraying the herbicide Roundup. However, you and I are on different continents with quite different climate; so it might be something else.

Reminds me of leafy spurge, Euphorbia esula, but I can't pull enough detail out of the photo to do much. Is the sap milky?

Closeup photos of leaves and flowers (actually inflorescences) would help, as would an idea of the size of the plant.

It is a somewhat attractive plant. However North America, it is a weed; an aggressive, invasive alien. And it doesn't play well with other plants. It is suspected of allelopathy. (That means it releases chemicals that are toxic to other plants).

thank you for your help i have found this on wikipedia and its full name is Euphorbia lathyris by wikipedia's records it is not a weed but a plant... thank you again you all have been very helpful :)

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All weeds are plants.

A weed is simply a plant out of place.

And a volunteer is an interesting weed.

i was wrong u were right it is a weed i missed the part at the bottom lol

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In my college days, my "Economic Botany" class stated about weeds:

1) edible plants that were cultivated at one time, then rejected (dandelions, purslane, plantain), and

2) have small seeds (purslane) or seeds that match accepted plants, and

3) grow on "disturbed soil" (meaning walked on, turned over, plowed). Ever notice that Dandelions love cow pastures?

One solution to them is to eat them (make sure they really are edible before tempting this: some folks idea of what constitutes a weed are different than the above.). Dandelions are good for the liver, but makes you pee A LOT.

Purslane is probably the most nutritious edible plant there is and is easy as hell to grow. (The one plant I have no problem growing. Okay, Dandelions love me too, but I don't try to grow them). Purslane tastes like watercress. Eat it in salads, on hamburgers, with tomatoes, or just plain straight. Great source of EPA/DHA.

The other solution is to shake your fist at them and accuse their parents of not being married.

My Lemon Cucumbers are dying though. :'(

-T

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