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Help me identify this plant in containers

Me 1 (zone 7b NY)

2 years ago

please help me identify this plant/weed that grows in my containers, from spring to fall. I tried to identify it, seems like hairy bittercress but it never grows in rosettes like I see in google search photos. It seems to stay small, only a few (3-4) leaves per stock, grows upwards and if allowed hundreds of little plants come out in the same container. also the color is a bit lighter green than other plants. here are some pictures i just took, it’s like this from spring into fall, I’m in zone 7b. definetely some type of weed because nothing seems to stop it. I want to confirm if it’s indeed hairy bittercress and not a look alike plant. thank you

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Comments (5)

floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Looks like HBC to me. It grows so fast the rosettes don’t always form before it flowers and sets seed.
Me 1 (zone 7b NY) thanked floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
2 years ago
Unmistakably Cardamine/bittercress - the seed pods are a dead giveaway - but species could be up for discussion. I would lean heavily to HBC as well, as it is omnipresent in my garden and is there in one life stage or another all year long. Probably my most prolific weed but one that is very easy to remove.
Me 1 (zone 7b NY) thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
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Me 1 (zone 7b NY)
Original Author
2 years ago
Thank you
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
2 years ago
4th pic.. it already has seed pods waiting to generate the next generation ...

you could avoid this ..... if you replace your media every season .. or sterilize this stuff ... to kill off the billions of seed in the pots ... though i highly recommend new media at lest every other year ...

ken

https://tipnut.com/sterilize-soil/
Jason, zone 7A, near Greensboro NC
2 years ago
This same weed is ALL OVER my area in 7A, I think it's in the air :-O I gave up on getting rid of it long ago.

One simple solution might be to just embrace it. I planted creeping jenny in a lot of my containers; the larger flowers don't seem to be affected by it, it chokes out most weeds, and if bittercress does come through then at least it blends in.

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