Plant ID Thread (Merged)

Sunnyday

Can anyone tell me what plant this is please?

http://i314.photobucket.com/albums/ll421/Sunnyday19/plant.jpg

When we moved in the house it was already in the garden and i`m struggling to identify it.
When it flowers it has big yellow flowers on it and it has berries on it for most of the year.

I was hoping that it was a type of blackthorn and that the berries were sloes but i`m pretty sure that i`m wrong as the flowers are the wrong colour and are much bigger.
If anyone can help i would appreciate it.
Thanks
SD

Marg

I'm only guessing - but -
It looks & sounds like Hypericum to me - It is quite a common plant with 400+! varieties.

I can't get the link to work but why not look it up in Wikipedia & see if the flowers match what you get.

If you get a more definitive answer - please let us know.

Davesnave

Marg wrote: »

I'm only guessing - but -
It looks & sounds like Hypericum to me - It is quite a common plant with 400+! varieties..

FWIW, I agree. I don't think it matters to much which one it is. Obviously not one of the tiddlers which have narrow leaves & probably something like 'Hidcote,' which is what a lot of garden centres supply. Leaves are not round enough to be the old Tutsan.....well, i don't think they are!

Nice picture, by the way; not like some of the blocky old stuff we sometimes get.

Sunnyday

Thankyou so much!

You are right :T Hypericum it is.

The flowers are yellow with stripes of red on the petals, it looks really nice all year round. I shall find out whether i need to split it or take cuttings in the spring so that i can have another one in a different part of the garden.

Thanks once again.

SD

Pippilongstocking

Hiya
its def hypericum - its like mustard and cress in my garden - might go well by just spreading some seeds around. x

melanie22_2

What ive read i cant tell because it all looks the same arghhh!

(Prepare yourself for a very messy allotment stage one haha)

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/mickleson/Photo0557.jpg

rhiwfield

I'm guessing you mean the tall reddish looking spikes?

If so I'd say its probably broad-leaved dock.

SAMHP_2

Melanie,
The tall brown stuff looks like dock (you've probably worked that out arleady!) and it's very difficult to tell what the other is, but almost certainly couch grass I'm afraid! Is it quite clumpy and brighter green than 'normal' grass and with wider blades than you would expect on lawn grass?
The good news is, you can get rid of it. In fact I have managed to clear whole beds of couch and I don't think this is nearly so much of a problem as getting rid of certain other weeds, such as bindweed.
The bad news is that thorough digging and pulling up the whole root system is the only way to really do it, being careful not to shatter or chop up the roots. If you've got a huge area to clear I would consider:
1. Split the plot into lots of tiny plots and work on one small plot at a time.
2. Cover the rest of the plot with carpet or heavy duty black plastic so that no new weed seeds can drop onto your newly dug bits
3. Don't be tempted to rotovate mechanically unless you really feel you have no other option - this will just break up the roots underground = more couch!
4. Once you've got a bit cleared - start sowing or planting something so that you can enjoy the fruits of your labour and also weeds will have some competition (just make sure your plants and not the weeds win!)
5. Dispose of anything you've dug up really carefully - don't put couch grass on your compost heap whatever you do! Either a) put it in a black sack and leave it somewhere out of the way for about a year until it is indistinguishable as anything remotely grass-like and then you could (if nec) put on compost heap or b) and I'd go for this - shake soil off and put grass and roots on a bonfire.

This battle CAN be won, but you must not let yourself get overwhelmed by the enormity of the project!
Sam

mum_of_4

Yes agree with the above.

Good news is that you can get rid of it.

Strim it down to ground leval then

Dig and pull up as much as you can. Little sections at a time so you can plant as you go is best.

Then you could decide to cover an area with cardboard and cover with manure and soil and then plant. The weed will give up trying to get through the cardboard.

Cover the area excluding sunlight and leave for a year. Make use of the space by using containers placed on top.

Finally couch grass does't straggle roots so as it pops up just keep snapping the heads of. This weakens the plant and over time you'll notice it less and less.

YOu can spray with roundup before attempting to clear but you nned to do this when it's got green growth. I'd say this time of year is a good time to make a start.

melanie22_2

So no lasagna gardening for me then

My backs gonna love me.

Thanks for the replies peeps.