Plant ID needed - They're growing everywhere!!

Leif

My money is on ash too, and as said, they are huge trees, you don't want one except at the end of a large garden.

rubytuesday

Oh I'm glad to see this thread - I have similar which has self seeded in pots and was wondering what it was.

Also have one in the herb bed so will get rid of that!

ERICS_MUM

why not grow one in a pot so it can be kept relatively small, pruned to shape etc. OR develop it into a Bonsai !!

rubytuesday

I'll keep my pot ones but actually having googled I think it's ground elder - never had it in the garden before but seen some interesting recipes.

Davesnave

It's not ground elder, but ash. The grey stem and buds there gives it away.

I pulled-up thousands of these in my time maintaining my old Dad's garden. For interest, I once chose a random square metre and counted 54 of them! If you get them early, they are easy enough to extract.

Those who are suggesting that ash are a problem will be heartened to know that a disease new to this country will probably wipe out over 95% of ash trees within a few years. That's what's happened in Europe. It's bad news if, like me, you grow ash as firewood.

On the positive side, disease resistant clones will appear, and people like me will grow them. What was it Arnie said.....?

adouglasmhor

ERICS_MUM wrote: »

why not grow one in a pot so it can be kept relatively small, pruned to shape etc. OR develop it into a Bonsai !!

My dad has a natural bonsai one growing out of ivy on top of a large wall.

adouglasmhor

Davesnave wrote: »

It's not ground elder, but ash. The grey stem and buds there gives it away.

I pulled-up thousands of these in my time maintaining my old Dad's garden. For interest, I once chose a random square metre and counted 54 of them! If you get them early, they are easy enough to extract.

Those who are suggesting that ash are a problem will be heartened to know that a disease new to this country will probably wipe out over 95% of ash trees within a few years. That's what's happened in Europe. It's bad news if, like me, you grow ash as firewood.

On the positive side, disease resistant clones will appear, and people like me will grow them. What was it Arnie said.....?

Ash Dieback is horrible. I hope the disiease reistant varities are idnentified sooner rather than later.

kkgree1

I had an ash tree cut back last year and I agree that it looks like a seedling to me too.

I pulled up several seedlings yesterday - they get everywhere in the borders.

I've learnt to get rid of them quickly as they soon grow and become much more difficult to get out the ground!

Davesnave

adouglasmhor wrote: »

Ash Dieback is horrible. I hope the disiease reistant varities are idnentified sooner rather than later.

I think people will work on it quickly; they are far too valuable to disappear permanently from the countryside. Mind you, could've said the same about elms!

Kyrae

Thanks everyone for the help, glad the mystery has been solved After seeing how big they grow I think it's probably best I don't keep any, but will ask around incase any friends want one and pass them on!!