......that's my lady's thumb.
Or if you you are a botanist, you might call it polygonum persicaria
I just call it "that damned weed".
I pull and yank and pull some more and it just won't go away. It will take over your flower beds and gardens and lawn, if you let it get away from you.
According to the USDA, it is an edible plant that can be steamed or eaten raw in salads. I haven't tried it. It might be delicious, for all I know. I don't really intend to find out as I don't usually eat my enemies.
Apparently it pretty much blankets the entire United States and Canada, so if you decide to give it a try on your dinner plate, let me know how it tastes. I'm open to being convinced. In the meantime, to me, it is still "that damned weed".
20 comments:
Hmm, how can it be so rampant and I don't recognize it at all? Maybe I'll notice it now.
You're too funny - you don't usually eat your enemies.
Ruthie, it must be because your Michigan soil is just extra-special! :)
Usually.
The one I have here that invades the garden beds is 'Couch'. I was yanking and cursing yesterday and my hand is quite sore today. It's rose pruning time for me and I've only got six done so far.
I haven't seen that weed in my garden, but I'm always amazed at the new species that appear each year. I remember the days before chickens when we could just spray those little suckers... now I constantly have dirt on my fingers.
Ladybug, I'll have to look up that one. I hope it hasn't traveled across the ocean! I need to prune my wiegela, but it hasn't quite finished blooming.
Cindy, even when we're hiking I see it! Maybe it isn't as widespread as I thought as two out of two of my American bloggers have never seen it. Maybe I'll move to Michigan or Oregon.
I always forget to put on garden gloves, so my fingernails are always encrusted, too!
I think we have that by the side of the road but my garden has so many other weeds that I wouldn't notice it:)...I'll trade you a bind-weed for a lady's thumb any day!
Oliag, I know what you mean about the abundance of weeds! This one just happens to be a real thorn in my side. I looked up bindweed and I don't think we have that one here. It has a prettier flower, so maybe... :)
Intersting - I clicked on your latin name and it seems in order to escape its reach you'll need to move to Nunavut or NWT. Greenland doesn't even escape it. However, Hawaii looks good - and has way better flowers than Ohio.
LOL, I like your nickname for it. :)
I try to think of anything with a flower, well as a flower. It helps. Sometimes.
Karen
Sanna, that cinches it! I'm moving to Hawaii! Greenland is too damn cold! Plus, Hawaii has all those cute surfer-type guys to look at. Who needs flowers?
Yes, Karen, it has a pretty flower. It's that pretty flower that spreads all the nice little seeds that try to drive me nuts! Now if it were a scarce and extremely rare plant, I would be trying every way in the world to get it INTO my garden! lol
I have a few of those pesky little visitors, too. But I also have a different little species which remind me of wayward green-leafed monsters that do not go away, no matter what I do!
I just know that somewhere someone is cultivating and nurturing them,and showing their friends and relatives what sweet little plants they are ... but not in my garden!!
I have seen that one around here, so our soil isn't too special! I read that burdock is edible too, and the chickens really chow it down. I think I'll save it for them.
Yep-thats pretty much what I call it too-I have it in my yard in way to many places.
Congrats on the Blog Anniversary!
CG, I think everyone has their own little bugaboo in the weed department! Probably those weeds are just future perennials, since that's what most of them started out being! Well, I guess technically they were wildflowers, but they do tend to take over.
Don, I don't think we have burdock in our yard and I don't remember seeing it around here, but it probably is. We aren't that much different than your area in vegetation.
Thank you, Tipper! Weeds are challenging, that's for sure! We have to be diligent!
I have this throughout my perennial garden and I do yank it out. I've never seen it named or pictured before and I'm glad you wrote about it. It seems to vine and spread like a ground cover. I do like the little pink grape style flowers. But, it can get out of control. Now I feel alot better about pulling it out.
Cali Girl, yank to your hearts content! I guarantee it will be back again in a week! :)
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