Is this a weed?
Janeylondon
Posts: 56
I'm wondering whether this is a weed. I know I planted something but can't remember. My confusion is that it might be something that birds planted which has grown.mplease help as I might be nurturing a weed.
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I thnk it's something called fathen. It will seed everywhere. It doesn't get any prettier than that.
Oh dear....I ad better get rid of it. Thank you so much
It's a fascinating plant though. The leaves are edible like spinach and it produces two types of seed, one type for immediatae germination and the other for long-term dormancy.
I shall look at fathen with more respect from now on, PeterE17!
At first for doe reason I thought it was rocket a I remember planting some. I tasted the leaves but it didn't taste familiar. So it's edible?
I didn't know that Peter. Have to go find one and sample it. Re the seeds, plants are just soooo clever!
As long as it IS fat hen, yes, it is edible (boil the leaves in a little water).
But it's not the most tasty vegetable in the world though ... as with any wild or foraged food, you must positively identify it before eating.
I tasted a leaf or two and I'm still standing
That's good, that;s good .... just to be sure, search for some fat hen images, compare with your leaves and if there's a good match, get cooking.
my neighbourgrows this for his birds. Some of his best specimens are taller than me. Not surprising I have lots germinating in the garden every year. It's not a lot of trouble though. Quite attractive in its leafy stage
In the sticks near Peterborough