Weed Haven

I have always admired those plants which thrive in urban areas with no help from us. In fact, we wage war against them. I am, of course, referring to weeds.

I am so fond of them that I lead several walks each year solely for the purpose of finding them, identifying them and admiring them.

While out for a walk recently, I came across a property which is FULL of weeds.

So much so, that the City has taped a notice on the front window of this dwelling which appears to be abandoned.

That seems to be the official definition of an objectionable weed: “in excess of 20 centimeters”.

Many of the standard “weedy plants” are thriving here.

Manitoba Maple (Acer negundo)
Green Foxtail (Setaria viridis)
Common Plantain (Plantago major)
Horseweed (with Dog-strangling Vine) Conyza canadensis)
Creeping Bellflower (Campanula rapunculoides)
Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) Don’t call this one a weed around a Monarch Butterfly!
White Mulberry (Morus alba)
Tree-of-Heaven (Ailanthus altissima)
Riverbank Grape (Vitis riparia)
Dog-strangling Vine (Vincetoxicum rossicum)
Siberian Elm (Ulmus pumila)
Canada Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis)

A couple of plants remain from the days when a gardener kept an eye on this place. They must be wondering what has happened to the neighbourhood.

Phlox
Sunflowers

and another was a surprise: a soon-to-be-flowering New England Aster

New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)

Miles Hearn

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