Weed Identification

Alan G

Hi all,

I've noticed that I have a lot of these weeds popping up in different areas of our lawn at home. Obviously, with the lack of growth in the grass, these seem quite prominent at the moment.

Would any of you have any idea what they are? My fear is that they might be a form of knotweed although I'm not quite sure?

I've attached a couple of photos so you can have a look.

Thanks,

Alan

celticbhoy27

Alan G wrote: »

Hi all,

I've noticed that I have a lot of these weeds popping up in different areas of our lawn at home. Obviously, with the lack of growth in the grass, these seem quite prominent at the moment.

Would any of you have any idea what they are? My fear is that they might be a form of knotweed although I'm not quite sure?

I've attached a couple of photos so you can have a look.

Thanks,

Alan

Have you a tree nearby? They look like suckers from a tree! Maybe a prunus of sorts?

tphase

I'm no expert but it looks like Japanese knotweed to me - might need to give them a dose of Roundup

magicbastarder

celticbhoy27 wrote: »

Have you a tree nearby? They look like suckers from a tree! Maybe a prunus of sorts?

i have similar in the garden at the moment, much worse than other years, i guess related to the dry spell.

Thud

look like suckers from a tree, I have a lilac throwing up a lot of similar suckers.
Possibly Poplar, any poplar trees nearby?

Knotweed has a thicker stem and starts off looking like a red asparagus

looksee

Could be Leycestaria, either way just keep mowing them. Not knotweed.

my3cents

Looks like suckers from a Poplar, Populus szechuanica looks a possible from a google image search.

standardg60

Poplar was the first thing that came to my mind too.

Alan G

Thanks for all the feedback lads,

I had a good look yesterday evening and actually took note of what trees (there are many well established) that surround our garden.

There is a mature poplar tree in the vicinity and having done a quick google search, my3cetns would be right in saying that it looks like a Populus szechuanica.

Anyway, would you advise just to keep the lawnmower on them to keep them at bay?

Thanks again

Achasanai

Thud wrote: »

look like suckers from a tree, I have a lilac throwing up a lot of similar suckers.
Possibly Poplar, any poplar trees nearby?

Knotweed has a thicker stem and starts off looking like a red asparagus

my3cents wrote: »

Looks like suckers from a Poplar, Populus szechuanica looks a possible from a google image search.

How can people tell the difference between a sapling and a sucker from a tree?

Thud

Achasanai wrote: »

How can people tell the difference between a sapling and a sucker from a tree?

Suckers pop up where the roots are, usually a few of them at same time (as in the pics) and more likely for certain types of trees.
Sapling more likely to be out on its own a bit further from parent tree (but not always)

my3cents

Achasanai wrote: »

How can people tell the difference between a sapling and a sucker from a tree?

Just by experience. One thing you normally notice with a sucker is that because it comes from a mature root system it is vigorous and produces a lot of growth very quickly. Mow off a sapling in grass and it might not even grow back mow off a sucker and it will often have created a few stems and leaves before you get back out with the mower again.

looksee

Alan G, yes keep mowing them, though they are big enough to maybe need a bit of help with a secateurs at this stage - there are a lot, if you try to dig up the root(s) you will dig up most of your lawn.

magicbastarder

my3cents wrote: »

Mow off a sapling in grass and it might not even grow back

i don't think i've ever seen seedlings in grass in our garden - and we get a lot of birch and ash seedlings in the garden.
i suspect these have become more visible because the grass simply stopped growing, removing the need to mow it, but the tree was able to continue growing.

my3cents

Had a lot of sycamore seedlings come up in grass areas this year, but one mowing and they were gone.

standardg60

Achasanai wrote: »

How can people tell the difference between a sapling and a sucker from a tree?

As my3cents says it's simply from experience, poplars are well known for suckers along with rhus and prunus, whereas ash and birch are more likely to seed.

Another telling factor is their ability to withstand drought as they're being fed by the rootsystem, saplings would struggle.