Tassels on Montbretia?
Hi folks. I have several clumps of Montbretia around the garden and have noticed that this year they have what I can only describe as tassels, which hang down and which look as if they might have seeds on them. I have never seen this before, and as I don't want Montbretia everywhere I have been removing them, but if they are not seed bearing I would like to leave them as I quite like the look of them.
Is this a common thing? I've never had it before and I've grown Montbretia for years. I'm half wondering if it's another plant and I've got mixed up, but one of the clumps I know for sure is Montbretia.
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Is this the sort of thing you're talking about?
If so yes, they're the seed cases, they are attractive aren't they
But remove them before they ripen if you don't want them to spread.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
No, they aren't like that. I tried to insert a picture but was unsuccessful. I think the seed pods in your picture come in autumn don't they? The things I am talking about are really like tassels hanging down, like you might get on some grasses. If you pull them they just come away out of a sheath, so are easy to remove. Some of the tassels are thinish, others fat, some look as if they have a covering of something on them and others that some of this has come off.
Oh, whoever said a picture is better than a thousand words was so right - I'll try again tomorrow but I deleted the original pictures and it's supposed to pour down tomorrow!
Are you sure they're montbretia and haven't had a pendulous sedge or similar seeded into them?
http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/species/pendulous-sedge
In the sticks near Peterborough
By Jove I think s/he's got it! And without a picture too. The picture on the link is more or less identical to what I am talking about. I have two clumps of montbretia in my garden and it seems to be in both, though they were definitely montbretia last year! I have some other montbretia in a pot and that isn't behaving this was. And to be honest, I thought I could see a difference between the foliage of the two,
This is only my second season with this garden and I got rid of the lawn completely, so I had big beds to fill, and was using the Monbretia as a temporary, cheap gap-filler. Anyway, thanks to you, I have read up more about this sedge and none of it good, so it's into the garden tomorrow (rain or not) to remove those deadly "flowers" before they do any more damage, and after that I shall exterminate it properly.
I have never had so much bad luck with a garden in 40 odd years of gardening as I have with this place. The first year I discovered I was infested with mare's tail, then this year I discovered some of the dreaded vine weevils in my pots and now this!! The worst thing I've ever had before was lily beetle and in the end I just grew lilies and let the beetles enjoy them!
Hi Nerene, this stuff seeds a lot and clings on when you try to remove it but is nothing compared to mare's tail
In the sticks near Peterborough
Well reading this really started my day off well - not! lol! At least so far it's not raining here. Oh and by the way, I think you're a genius for identifying it without a picture. I do remember seeing teeny pieces of grass here and there last year when I was weeding but assumed they were only from my other (controllable, nice) grasses, so didn't worry about them - this year I will!!
No genius, just old and seen a lot of weeds
I knew it was no part of montbretia and the description was very clear
In the sticks near Peterborough