My heart is broken from this weed

[Nicos]

Urrrmmm....not quite the answer I was expecting!!!!

[zazen999]

Botanist.

What is it then and what should Frankie do about it?

*Ignore that - I've just looked at your other posts and they are all about ragwort.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Can we get some up to date pics showing the more developed leaves please?

[Nicos]

OK- my gut feeling is that it's milkweed planted for the butterflies....and it's got out of control.

Need new piccies please as AP suggests!

Glyphsate is the way to go me thinks whatever it is- it's clearly a toughy!!

[zazen999]

The Clueless Gardeners - A Garden Blog: Milkweed roots

[Jeanied]

Ok the new pictures seem to be young creeping thistle. A bit of a pain but if you keep on top of it, it should go in time.

ETA - no on second thoughts the leaves look wrong - but the roots are similar.

[hamsterqueen]

Have you tried e-mailing pictures of it to Kew Gardens? ( or equivalent) They were quite helpful a while back.

[Two_Sheds]

By law you need to let the authorities know about it.

No, you don't need to:

"Landowners are not legally obliged to remove Japanese Knotweed, unless it is causing a nuisance to neighbouring property. However it is an offence to plant, or cause Japanese Knotweed to grow, in the wild. (that means you can't chuck the bits over your fence)
All parts of the plant and any soil contaminated with it are classed as controlled waste, so you need to dispose of it carefully to make sure it does not spread. If you are using a contractor to remove the waste for you, they must be registered with us as a waste carrier." Environment Agency - Japanese Knotweed

[Two_Sheds]

Can we get some up to date pics showing the more developed leaves please?

Yes, keep 'em coming, this is interesting

[Nicos]

This is young JK...looks totally different to me!

[Nicos]

I've just Googled it, and yours looks exactly like what I found online ...

The roots do look very similar don't they...but the leaves look different.

[Nicos]

Argh! I have that on my plot. I thought it was bindweed.

This is young bindweed CM....

[Nicos]

A side thought...it looks very shady there...could it be a Jerusalem artichoke....anyone seen what the rhizome looks like before it swells?????

[scarey55]

Nope, I don't think it is JA - here are a couple of pictures of mine and, whilst the root looks a bit similar, I think the leaves and growing pattern are all wrong. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, it would have been easy if it was JA's

[Two_Sheds]

Bindweed roots are thin, like crinkly spaghetti, it's def not that