Friend or Foe?

[Hai_hula]

Hi we have bought a new house and a few things have started growing which we have no idea what they are?
Any ideas if the tall plant below will turn out into anything nice?

Flickr: Photos & Video from hai_hula

[janeyo]

I'm not sure but it looks like that weed that wraps itself round EVERYTHING in the entire garden if you don't get it/ Comes up practically overnight and grows like billy-o.

janeyo

[Snadger]

Certainly looks like bindweed to me! Bit of a pain to get rid of if it is I'm afraid. Does have pretty white convulvis flowers though!

[HeyWayne]

I'd go along with that being bindweed. Evil stuff, but like Snadger says, it does have pretty flowers. Paint it, and paint it now!

[Nicos]

Join the club!!!!!

[Hai_hula]

Brill thanks for the advice, its going as soon as i get home!
ALso any ideas what this might be? It got lawnmowered in the autum but has survived so I dug it out and put it in a pot incase its something good!

plant photos on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

[Flummery]

Looks a bit like a sedge - they like it damp - is your soil damp?

[Hai_hula]

The soil is mainly clays which do get waterlogged in the winter (although I think this is due to old soakaway drainage that doesn't work very well!)

[SarzWix]

The stuff in the pot, did it have ordinary roots, or was there anything bulbish in amonst the roots? I only ask because I was wondering if it could be Crocosmia, also known as Monbretia (sp?). The leaves look a bit like em. If it is, it'll get orange, yellow or red flowers later on in the summer.
The other stuff, you'll know if it's bindweed as it'll have thick, white roots which snap easily.

[Hai_hula]

Ooo I hope it is crocosmia, sounds lovely, will try to get a photo of the roots on here later today!
As for the bindweed, i'm almost sure its that now as i have found loads of white thick curled roots!

[HeyWayne]

As for the bindweed, i'm almost sure its that now as i have found loads of white thick curled roots!

Looks like noodles?



Edit: Just did a google image search for "Bindweed Root" and the third picture that appears is one I took of my spuds!!

[Potter]

I think the grassy stuff IS crocosmia. We have some in our garden called 'Lucifer' which is a really hot orange colour. It looks smashing, but can flop over rather so we kind of fence it in with some stakes and string. If you plant it in the garden give it plenty of room and it'll spread out loads - infact we have some popping up between the slabs on our patio - must do something about that! I found a pic on google http://www.perennialfavoritesnursery...%20Lucifer.jpg The other pic as everyone else has said is defo bindweed. The war has just begun again in my garden - grrrr!

[Snadger]

Probably crocosmia/montbresia but anyone think it looks a bit like knifofia (red hot poker)? If the foiage is soft crocosmia, if the foliage is course knifofia! Also Crocosmia has bulbils!

[greenstar]

Erm, I seem to be the only dissenting voice here, but I have a lot (and I mean a LOT) of experience of bindweed and I'm fairly sure that the second photo is not it. The leaves are the wrong shape - bindweed leaves are a very pronounced heart shape and pointed at the ends - those leaves are too rounded imho. Unless we have strange bindweed in sunny Glasgow...Google Image Result for http://www.bio.brandeis.edu/fieldbio/medicinal_plants/images/bindweed_leaf.jpg

See what I mean?

[Snadger]

Erm, I seem to be the only dissenting voice here, but I have a lot (and I mean a LOT) of experience of bindweed and I'm fairly sure that the second photo is not it. The leaves are the wrong shape - bindweed leaves are a very pronounced heart shape and pointed at the ends - those leaves are too rounded imho. Unless we have strange bindweed in sunny Glasgow...Google Image Result for http://www.bio.brandeis.edu/fieldbio/medicinal_plants/images/bindweed_leaf.jpg

See what I mean?

After having a google myself I have to agree with you! It does mention bell bind which is similar but I can't find a photograph of bellbind leaves? Could bindweed leaves change shape as they mature? The stuff I've got in my allotment looks like hai-hula's photo and is a devil to get rid of, I always thought it was bindweed, but now you've got me thinking!

Curioser and curioser! Well spotted greenstar