Plant ID please

Mousey3

this this has started growing in one of my pots. Not sure where it is but I certainly didn’t put it there intentionally. Hoping it’s one of those lovely surprises - I’m itching to find out what it is - but would hate for it to be a pest! Please help x

pitter-patter

I don’t know, all these vigorously growing surprises tend to be goat willows or something similar. 

Mousey3

Lol - never heard of a goat willow. It’s in a pot, so I might wait and see whether it flowers. So far it’s just leaves. 

robairdmacraignil

Looks like willow to me as well.

Dovefromabove

It’s a goat willow ... Salix caprea ... great if you’ve got several acres and a wildlife garden but not for a ‘normal’ garden and not for a pot. The seeds blow everywhere like thistle down. 

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/british-trees/a-z-of-british-trees/goat-willow/

Mousey3

Dovefromabove said:

It’s a goat willow ... Salix caprea ... great if you’ve got several acres and a wildlife garden but not for a ‘normal’ garden and not for a pot. The seeds blow everywhere like thistle down. 

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/british-trees/a-z-of-british-trees/goat-willow/

Ok great - it’s got to go! Thanks so much

Asarum

I think it comes in with the peat in composts.

Liriodendron

Or the seed blows in from nearby trees...

Mousey3

Helpful to know!!!