Two new arrivals

6 years ago

I am clearing two new areas for garden beds and found these two unknown plants. The first was found among rotting maple logs, in a semi-shaded area:

The second was in an open area, quite wet and sunny:

Are these something I should pot up and keep or discard? Thank you.

Featured Answer

carol23_gw

6 years ago

The first looks like garlic mustard, Alliaria petiolata.
https://www.kingcounty.gov/services/environment/animals-and-plants/noxious-weeds/weed-identification/garlic-mustard.aspx

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Comments (15)

Smivies (Ontario - 5b)
6 years ago
#2 looks like Creeping Buttercup (Ranunculus repens)

I'd keep neither and would aggressively try to remove them.
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NHBabs z4b-5a NH
6 years ago
Garlic mustard is an aggressive seeder and IME if you have any around, there will be seeds that sprout in disturbed soil. You will want to get acquainted with the plant at young ages so you can remove it before it flowers so it won’t set seed (may do so if flowering, even if pulled). Seed is viable in the soil for a couple of decades so the goal is to not let it replenish the current soil seed bank.
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carol23_gw
6 years ago
If you bruise and smell the scent of a leaf of garlic mustard, you will see why it was so aptly named.
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floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
6 years ago
Not convinced by the buttercup notion. Leaves wrong shape, colour and texture, stems wrong colour ... and it's not creeping. Looks more like a Geranium to me.
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
6 years ago
dont know why.. but straight down pix are hard to use ... try to avoid such in the future ...

in the last pic.. there might also be a violet ... that curled leaf in the middle ...

ken
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fatamorgana2121
6 years ago
#2 - Geranium molle, perhaps.
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floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
6 years ago
A sense of scale would be good on the Geranium. I can't tell what size those leaves are.
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northerner_on
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks everyone. I am sure the first is garlic mustard after seeing the grown plant in the link provided. I do remember pulling similar weeds some time ago, but I will do the smell test. This is the first time seeing the immature version.

Hi Ken, I still you're still around on these forums. Will remember you photo. advice. There have been some geraniums (cranesbill in the US) in that area so that's a definite possibility. I'll keep them around for a while longer to see what flower they produce, but the mustard is gone!! Happy Gardening all!!!
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peren.all Zone 5a Ontario Canada
6 years ago
Will you post pics here as the (Geranium) matures please, if you can?
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northerner_on
Original Author
5 years ago
Hi Peren: They are definitely Geranium, or Cranesbill as they are called in the US, but these are nothing to write home about. The plants are very tall (maybe 3 feet) and quite wide. The flowers are quite pretty, small one white one light lilac, but the plants have sprawled and flopped so they are not keepers for me. Here are the final products.

The blooms lasted about a week. I will replace with daylilies. Happy Gardening!!
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floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
5 years ago
Many perennial gardeners would consider those two specimens to be attractive occupants of any garden bed. Certainly if they were in my garden I'd not be thinking of replacing them. They may be taller and floppier than need be due to overcrowding. One appears to be fighting it out with a patch of rhubarb. Not ideal.
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Embothrium
5 years ago
Yes, their soft coloring is lovely.
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NHBabs z4b-5a NH
5 years ago
Sprawling can be remedied with a simple wire ring plant support. Then you can plant daylilies next to the Geranium and have some foliage interest. One of my favorite combos is a bright yellow daylily that grows up through Geranium sanguineum. I will see if I can find an image.
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northerner_on
Original Author
5 years ago
These are all very valuable comments, and yes, one is battling with my rhubarb but I'll tell you where I'm coming from. These plants are volunteers in a former full sun border, which has become overgrown with various weeds and perennials because it is now shaded by our neighbours' overgrown maple. I have moved out my real sun lovers (hibiscus, heliopsis etc.) and I feel I must just clear everything out. Many of my daylilies need dividing and I was thinking of using many of them, Hostas which also need dividing, and various ground covers I have around. Babs your idea is a very good one and I may yet use it. However, now that I have started clearing, I have found several of these plants. They seem to be able to take on a trailing nature and I just want to rip!! I feel I should start with a clean slate. So it's my impatient nature which makes me think they are not keepers. The one near the rhubarb will definitely go. I'll keep you posted.
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