Weeds: The Story of Outlaw Plants

Product Information

Woody weeds are so persistent thanks to their roots. With a deep creeping root system that allows them to re-emerge even from the tiniest left-over fragment, woody weeds aren’t stopped if you dig them up.

And if their adaptability is astounding, then so is their tenacity. Professor Edward Salisbury, director of Kew from 1943-1956, once cultivated 300 plant species from the dirt he found in his trouser turn-ups. Bindweed alone can put down roots to a depth of 18 feet, spread 30 square yards in a season and germinate its own seeds after 40 years. As Mabey points out: "A bindweed root or stem chopped into 100 pieces by a frustrated gardener is simply the starting point for 100 new plants." I have spent countless hours pouring over arcane books and thousands of scientific papers to dig out the unique ways our ancestors used wild and ornamental plants. Also known as Fireweed, this invasive perennial looks pretty good for a weed. You can recognise it thanks to its ornamental spires from which purple flowers bloom in mid-summer. It can spread via stolons on the ground surface, as well as from seeds that grow in long pods. It’s important to distinguish between various weed types both because it helps identify these weeds, as well as understand how to control them. Grassy WeedsNotes: Native to Japan (hence the name), this perennial grows in forests and wetlands. It has hollow stems that resemble bamboo. Japanese Knotweed is highly useful, utilized in traditional Japanese and Chinese medicine and as a nectar source for honeybees. 62. Hedge Bedstraw

Last words and thoughts from the author that I think perfectly describes weeds and that I agree with (p. 289-90):This is a brilliant, fascinating examination of the relationships between humans and plants, specifically those plants that we consider to be weeds. Unlike grassy weeds, broadleaf weeds boast leaves that are wider rather than long. These bladelike leaves have a primary vein from which other, smaller veins emerge. As such, you can easily identify them because they look nothing like grass. Woody weeds are the strongest sort of weeds, as well as the tallest. That makes them the most difficult to control, especially when they spread on lawns and pastures. In exploring the history of weeds and the origins of the definitions and terminology associated with weeds, it becomes clear that all weeds are nothing but colonizing plants, which grow and thrive in disturbed habitats and environments, especially those modified by humans.

A change in basic assumptions to tolerate the extraordinarily resourceful weedy taxa (‘living with weeds’) appears prudent, as plants and animals – as well as human societies – face uncertain times in a changing global climate. Mabey is so good at synthesizing ideas. I also really liked his book A Cabaret of Plants, and although his discussion of weeds is comprehensive enough, Cabaret was even longer and more complicated. With that in mind, here are the most common weeds you can find in your garden or lawn: Annual meadow grass This is a tall perennial weed that resembles a bamboo. Its flowers are whitish and tasselled, while its fleshy stems have pink shades. It’s strong thanks to its invasive roots that help it spread. With evergreen basal leaves, this weed needs full sun or a partial shade to thrive. The best soils for it are moist but drained with an alkaline or neutral pHs, such as Chalk, Clay, Loam or Sandy.In joining the chorus of ‘un-winnable wars with weeds,’ the public is largely misinformed about weeds, with only one side of the story. Some weed scientists and ecologists are also, unfortunately, in this camp. Most weed research articles start with the viewpoint that ‘weeds cause biodiversity losses,’ as if that is an axiom. It’s also commonly called “Cat Grass” because it’s frequently chewed on by domestic furry felines. Summary Another common weed in the UK, the Creeping Cinquefoil spreads on lawns and turfs alike, especially those that are poorly maintained. This isn’t a tall weed, it can only get to 2 cm in height. Its yellow flowers are visible from early summer to mid-autumn, and its leaves are made from five segments with jagged edges. Richard Mabey takes us from weeds' medieval double-employment in sympathetic magic and the theological Doctrine of Signatures, to the cutthroat world of 17th-century soldier-herbalists like Nicholas Culpeper, to John Ruskin’s strange disgust at the idea of photosynthesis (reducing flowers to mere “gasometers”), to the unexpected botanical marvels of London’s WWII bomb craters, and finally to dystopian science-fiction futures when human beings and all their works are remorselessly consumed by a tsunami of kudzu.

The Canada Thistle was considered a top nectar-producer in Britain in 2016. The plant’s pleasant scent attracts an abundance of pollinators and florivores. 48. Musk Thistle This perennial grass can grow quite tall, up to 1 meter in length. Its leaves look much like those of a fern, and this weed can survive in pretty tough conditions.Annual grassy weeds live their lives for just one season, which starts in the spring when the soil temperature gets to about 18ᵒC. They have an accelerated growth all through the summer when they finally produce flowers and seeds, which begin another cycle in the spring. Broadleaf weeds have fibrous roots of different types: either a root system, one big taproot, or both of these. Their stems can be round or square. Broadleaf weeds grow in different ways, either upright or spreading very close to the ground. Woody and Vining Weeds With round leaf tips that form a rosette above the ground, this weed features yellow flowers that resemble those of a buttercup. It can grow up to 60 cm and reproduces by making seeds or via root fragments. Notes: This perennial plant’s flowers sport a similar appearance to the Cornflower. You can find this plant growing in arable land and grassy meadows.