Plumbago sort of pulls you in with it's tropical icy blue flowers that bloom almost all year, and if you forget to water it, it rewards you with more pretty flowers. When did plumbago become a noxious weed? About a year after we planted it on our slope. It's climbed over fences, completely grown over other large plants, and grown up and tangled itself through italian cypress trees more than 30 feet tall. It's popped up in neighbor's yards across the street and several houses away, just guessing by seeds, oh, those stinkin' little seeds!!! We've picked off millions of them from our skin, socks, clothes, cats, etc. If it hasn't reached your house yet, give it just a little more time. It's on it's way and will surely get there. Anyone want it for free? I'm in Walnut, near Pomona. Email me and you can come and take all you can fit in your car, and come back as often as you like, lol. Linda

What you're seeing is a flower stalk on a "hen" - let it go through its normal cycle even though it looks a little strange. The flower stalk can get up to 12" tall and the flower buds may or may not open. Although the hen plant will normally die after flowering, it should have produced, or will still produce, little chicks around the rosette. The little chicks just need to come into contact with the ground and they'll take root easily even if the parent plant dies off. These are nice, easy little plants and do best when they're not fussed over.

You know, that's a really compact clump of yucca- instead of fighting it, why not use it along with the cedar and other shrub as winter backbone? They do have nice fragrant white blooms in summer. If it were spread out or a huge clump, i'd fuss with it, but if you're wanting to make life simple... leave it be. I'd say it depends on the compost whether you till it in. If it seems like it has a good bit of earthy stuff for the plants to dig into, then no, but if it's more top dressing stuff, perhaps till in half and top with compost. The quality can vary year to year and by the time of year, depending on what they are shredding and composting. If you're in wake co, you will need to find a truck/hauler to haul it for you, but the compost itself is fairly cheap- like 30 a big truckload full. City runs 2 for 1 specials sometimes, too. Meaning pay for 1 load, get the second free that same day- but you'd still need to pay for hauling. You could do a lasagna type bed- layer on newspaper, ect, and build up with out messing with tilling at all. There's been a good bit posted about it, and there are at least 2 books. It really does work if you have a little patience/time. There is a thread for the swap on the exchanges forum. It should have the where what when info- tho i can tell you quickly it's may 8th, at white deer park in garner. Doesn't matter if you're a newb. We always have some. Just bring some good food and anything you have to spare that you think gardeners could use- pots, hoses, rocks, etc. Even shallow boxes would be appreciated as folks always need them to haul away their new found goodies.

Well, they do look like Bachelor's Buttons... definitely garden escapees. Here in Connecticut we usually just see various knapweeds, which are very closely related and also alien species (with the exception of the American Knapweed... the only native Centaurea I've heard of). Many people grow Bachelor's Buttons, so I don't think you have to worry about it taking over your lawn, but the choice is yours. Needless to say, if the plant is invading the wild habitats in your area, then planting them in your garden will likely contribute to helping the alien species gain a larger foothold.