Weed ID - sorry no photo.

josusa47

I used to be able to upload photos to this forum but my computer won't do it any more.  So I'm hoping someone can ID this perennial weed from my description.  It arrived in the park a couple of years ago and has spread far and fast, I suspect by rhizomes.  At present it is about 4" tall, looks rather like rosebay willow herb, but coarser and the young leaves are purplish red.  Last year it grew to 1m tall.  I don't remember it having any flowers but I suppose it must have, maybe they are little insignificant ones.

It is growing in the grass around our fruit trees.  We had to stop the council mowing the area for fear of damage to the fruit trees, the workmen are none too careful!  But we are paying the price in weeds which mowing would control.  In the same area we also have thistles, docks and ragwort.

wild edges

Maybe the other willow herb? I think it's called great willow herb. The flowers can be pretty small on those.

Lyn

I’ve got the Willowherb with the purple leaves, 
is there anything we can do to help you with putting photos on the site Sue? 

josusa47

wild edges said:

Maybe the other willow herb? I think it's called great willow herb. The flowers can be pretty small on those.

You mean, one of the 197 other willow herbs listed by Wikipedia?  Some of them are illustrated, but none of those look like ours.  

There are only so many ways of tackling weeds after all, so I guess I'll keep on slicing them off at ground level, and let a few of them grow on in hopes of being able to ID them later.

josusa47

Lyn said:

I’ve got the Willowherb with the purple leaves, 
is there anything we can do to help you with putting photos on the site Sue?

I doubt it, but thanks for offering.  I know how to post photos, have done it many times, but my PC just doesn't seem to want to do it any more.  Other people post photos so the problem must be at my end.  PITA.