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Can anyone help me identify whether this is a weed or a baby seedling?

cosmic_girlcosmic_girl Posts: 6
in Plants

<p style="line-height: 15pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #333333; font-size: 10pt;">Hello everyone, I'm quite new to gardening and last year I planted something out but I can't remember what. In/near where I planted it lots of little seedlings have come up, and I'm not sure if they are weeds or babies of the plant from last year. <p style="line-height: 15pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #333333; font-size: 10pt;">Please can someone advise me if these are weeds, or if they are precious seedlings, and if they are seedlings, what are they?! (I know that I have some Aquilegia in the corner of the photo) <p style="line-height: 15pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #333333; font-size: 10pt;">Thankyou so much, <p style="line-height: 15pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #333333; font-size: 10pt;">Rachel <p style="line-height: 15pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #333333; font-size: 10pt;">image

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/468604_10150842392449579_628874578_11802528_1719822951_o.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/457908_10150842397709579_628874578_11802535_2060791903_o.jpg

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  • kate1123kate1123 Posts: 2,815

    Some of it looks like  Rudbeckia .

  • cosmic_girlcosmic_girl Posts: 6

    Oooh! How exciting -thankyou! I don't remember planting that, but I did plant a few plants out. This will teach me to pay a bit more attention to what I plant out.

    Thankyou for your help -greatly appreciated.

    Rachel

  • Gary HobsonGary Hobson Posts: 1,892

    Are we all convinced that this is Rudbeckia? It might be; but I'm not sure.

    I have some Rudbeckia seedlings coming up (from packet seeds), and the leaves look much furier, and less glossy.

    Are we suggesting that these are self-sown seedlings? I've never found Rudbeckia to self-seed in my garden (though some peope may find that it does).

    If it's an existing clump, from last year, then wouldn't there be more old dead wood sticking up from the clump?

    May we have a second opinion please?

  • cosmic_girlcosmic_girl Posts: 6

    Thanks Gary for that seed of doubt! It's true that I don't remember planting any Rudbeckia, so I'm definitely open to opinions from those more experienced than I!

    Yes, the seedlings are self-sown, and are definitely grouped over about a 40cm area, but are nowhere else in the garden. So it would seem likely to be a self-sown flower rather than a weed, but I have so many weeds in my garden that I wouldn't put it past a cunning weed to try and sneakily pretend to be a flower!!

    In answer to the 'old dead wood' comment -I don't remember there being anything dead looking there, but I have just blizted the garden in a frenzy of weeding and might have pulled it up. I wouldn't have pulled anything vaguely flower like up though, and don't think that I pulled up anything more substantial than lots of stinging nettles, couch grass and other small weeds.....

    Thanks again for all your comments. It's very helpful,

    Rachel

    image

  • kate1123kate1123 Posts: 2,815

    Gary I am happy for second and third opinions. I have a Green Wizard Rudbeckia and the leaves are similar, very different from the Cherry Brandy. I will take a photo when it stops raining.

    These seedlings looking nicer than weeds.

  • Gary HobsonGary Hobson Posts: 1,892

    Yes, I am a Cherry Brandy fan.

  • cosmic_girlcosmic_girl Posts: 6

    Cherry Brandy as in a liqueur?! image

    On a more serious and planty type of note, I didn't realise that different varieties of the same plant would have such different leaves, although I feel a bit daft for not having realised it before.

    I'd love to see your photos Kate, to see how well they match up to mine.

    Thanks again....

  • kate1123kate1123 Posts: 2,815

    Cosmic girl I have not seen Cherry Brandy in years, do they still make it? 

    I am still trying to find the difference betweeen Rudbeckias and Echinaceas.

  • BookertooBookertoo Posts: 1,306

    Yes, cherry brandy liquor is still made!! Have never panted a rudbeckia with that name, and I must say the leaves on mine are somewhat harier than these in the photo - but it does look as if it ought to be something wanted rather than weedlike - on what basis I could not actually say!!  

  • cosmic_girlcosmic_girl Posts: 6

    I totally agree. It looks like a plant growing with pride and purpose, rather than a furtive looking weed! I left them in the ground as they looked like they were on a mission for good rather than ill!

    I think that I did plant echinaceas last year, but can't remember which type.

    Would another photo help?

    Cherry brandy -yummy!.......

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