Native Plant or Weed? 4 more identified!

A couple of women from the neighbourhood stopped by the garden the other day and chatted with me, asking a few questions as they looked around. They seemed quite knowledgeable about all things garden, so I was surprised when one of them turned to me and asked “how can you tell when the corn is ready to harvest?” Before I had a chance to begin to reply she answered herself  “….When the raccoons have finished eating it all!” 

It’s true. Our corn, as well as other parts of our garden have been falling victim to some critters, be they raccoons, squirrels, or a frightening urban hybrid of the two! In any case, though we’ve been having success so far with preventing squirrel damage by wrapping squashes with screen and chicken wire (more on these successes soon), the corn fell victim to an attack this weekend. At first it seemed as if it were just weather damage, as we did have some torrential rains this weekend, but further inspection showed some definite chewing action had been going on. I righted the damaged corn stalks and tried to use the scarlett runner beans that are climbing them to tie them back upwards,  but they definitely still give the impression of having been leapt on by an animal fattened up by garden veggies. In fact, while I was there I harvested 4 zucchini as I was worried they’d disappear before we were ready to donate them on Thursday. I left them by the side of the garden when I went in to wrestle the corn, and came out to find two missing! Whether it was a human or an animal thief, they’re getting brave! 

In any case, critters and diseases have been our major garden issues this season, we’ve been having a relatively weed and pest free go of it so far. Not to say we haven’t had any weeds or pests of course, but their impact has been minimal, as they should be in a garden with healthy soil. I thought though, since weed posts are among our most popular, I’d do another one, combining classic weeds and native plants, basically just a guide for identifying more things that appear in your garden and deciding what to do with them. Fair warning is to tell you that we keep a lot of native plants in the garden, either because they attract pollinators, look pretty or loosen up the soil with their deep taproots, and I’m happy that way, it makes for less work and more biodiversity. It’s of the utmost importance, however, that you do tend to them before they drop their seeds, either saving it for yourself for next year or throwing them out. Doing your best to prevent weed seeds from getting into the soil is one of the best ways to save yourself a lot of work and headaches next year. 

Large Milkweed Plant

Milkweed  

 

Propagation: By seed and by underground roots 

This is something I definitely thing of as a native plant rather than a weed. Though milkweed distributes a lot of seeds and grows  easily all over Toronto, it not a huge hassle to remove and is both useful and attractive, so I don’t think it deserves to be in the same family as dandelions and bindweed. Milkweed’s most important claim to fame is that its the primary food and habitat of the Monarch Butterfly. This alone makes it a welcome addition to my garden, as seeing Monarchs feeding on its pink or orange flowers is one of the highlights of summer in Ontario.  

Open Milkweed Flowers

It can be identified by its long stalk and oblong leaves that are dark green and soft to the touch as well as by the milky juice that comes from any part of the plant when broken. Its flowers are pink spheres made up of many smaller flowers (or orange, in the case of butterfly milkweed) and its seeds come in soft, green fleshy pods which grow directly off the stalk, eventually drying and bursting open. Milkweed is an interesting plant because it has a history of being used medicinally for treating throat and lung diseases, but is also known to be toxic to many animals. 

This is part of its benefit to Monarch butterflies, they can consume milkweed but it makes them toxic to birds, protecting them from attack. 

Assessment: Let it grow to bring butterflies to your garden, but feel free to remove it from beds and leave it as a border 

Purslane

Purslane 

 

Propagation: by seed 

This plant is cousin to portulaca, an ornamental flower used in many gardens, which explains why I kept thinking it looked kind of nice whenever I spotted it in the garden. It is said to grow in rich soil, though I’ve also seen it do quite well in a crack in the pavement, and in very dry soils. This is because purslane is a succulent plant, like aloe, which stores 

Young Purslane

water in its thickened leaves, allowing it to survive periods of drought. It can be identified by its fleshy, reddish stems and dark green succulent leaves. From July to September it has yellow flowers which are open only while the sun is shining. It is a prostrate plant, growing along the ground, and its stems can take root as they grow. It can be eaten fresh in salads, used as a thickener for soups and stews, and eaten boiled or picked as well. 

Assessment: Pull as you go and try some in a salad, be sure to get it out of the garden before it spreads seeds. 

Chickweed Flower

Chickweed 

Propagation: by seed and by stem rooting 

This is one of the most common weeds in the country, and can grow all season and beyond if weather stays mild. You can tell it’s chickweed if it’s a low, prostrate plant that can grow into a dense mat with small, white, star-like flowers. High in vitamins A,B,C and D, it can be eaten raw in salads or cooked, in which case it tastes like spinach. It indicates fertile soil, so seeing it is a good sign as long as you don’t let it smother your main crops 

Assessment: Thin it, but it’s not a serious threat. 

Jewelweed Flower

Jewelweed 

Propagation: by seed 

Also known as touch-me-not, this plant is famous for its inch long seedpods which explode at the slightest provocation when mature, sending seeds throughout your garden. It can be identified in flower by its orange-yellow trumpet-shaped blossoms, and earlier in the season by its smooth stalk which can grow to 4-5 feet and its large deeply veined leaves. Another identifying characteristic is the water repellence of its leaves, which causes water to bead and appear ‘jewel-like”, giving the plant its name. It is an important plant because its stems can be used as an antidote to poison ivy and other stings (I intend to try it on stinging nettle, which keeps getting the best of me in our garden). 

Jewelweed Leaf

Assessment: If you like the blooms you can keep it, but be careful of those seeds if you don’t want it everywhere! I pull it from veggie beds but it can have a place among the flowers.

all images thanks to ontarioweeds.com