“What’s that Plant?”
June 21st, 2003 by Kathy Purdy · 5 Comments
Every visitor to my garden this spring has asked me, “What’s that plant?” and I always have to answer, “It’s, um, a weed. A speedwell, I think.” And the reply is always, “Well, it sure is pretty.” It sure is. That’s why I haven’t pulled it. Honest. Actually, it’s done blooming now, but for my own satisfaction I looked it up in Weeds of the Northeast. It’s Veronica chamaedrys, known commonly as germander speedwell or bird’s-eye speedwell, and it’s considered a lawn weed. Well, so are bugleweed and Johnny-jump-ups and violets. I wonder what makes it weedy?
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About Kathy Purdy
Kathy Purdy discovered the joys of writing in fourth grade, when she started corresponding with a former classmate. She's been writing letters ever since, first on looseleaf, then electronically, and now as weblog entries. That makes you, the blog reader, her pen pal. Her first independent (though frustrating) attempts at gardening were made in high school, though the gardening bug didn't bite hard until her mid-thirties, when she found herself mistress of a rural home on 15 acres. •
USDA Hardiness Zone:4 • AHS Heat Zone: 3 • Location: rural;
Southern Tier of NY • Geographic type: foothills of Appalachian
Mountains • Soil Type: acid clay • Experience level:
intermediate
• Particular interests: colchicums, narcissus, cottage gardening, NY
native plants, gardening with/for children
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5 responses so far ↓
1
jason
// Jun 26, 2003 at 10:04 am
That is pretty. Here in Utah we have what’s called bindweed, but everyone calls it Morning glory. When it gets in large shrubs and trees it looks like the tree is blooming. I once drove by a home that was thick with the stuff and thought, “I didn’t know Pine trees bloomed.”
2
jason
// Jun 27, 2003 at 10:58 am
Here’s what Utah Field Bindweed looks like. It really is the tool of the Devil.
3
Kathy
// Jun 27, 2003 at 11:35 am
We have bindweed, too, but it doesn’t seem to be in my flower gardens (yet). I do have a lot of the wild buckwheat, though.
4
Talitha
// Jul 9, 2003 at 5:08 pm
By the way, Mom, after our discusion about bindweed v. wild buckwheat, I did go up to my garden and check to see which I had. The happy answer? Both!!
5
bill
// Jul 12, 2003 at 8:04 am
I like to say “a weed is anything you don’t want in your garden.” If you want violets they are not weeds. If you don’t want lawngrass then grass is a weed.