I have sweet autumn clematis, and for the first 10 years no problem. One year I didn't mulch and the next year I had a bunch of autumn clematis...so I didn't think it was a problem at first either.
But the vine I am having a problem with isn't a clematis, or anything any one would want and not sure where it came from. I will take a pic and see what you all think.
What are you sorry you planted..... Part 4
>>No matter how wonderful the common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)
Semper.... you could not imagine how many times i've requested various "milkweed seeds" only to find out 2 yrs later, when they bloom, I have "common" !!
I think 3 times now, i've attempted to grow "Butterfly Weed" to find it's A. syriaca. Talk about disappointing.
So, this Spring, i purchased seeds... and forgot to sow them **bangs head**
I should do it NOW and get them in the ground in Sept so they can establish roots.
**bangs head*** LOL!
I had forgotten about my nightmare with asclepius syriacus. My property abuts against a 1/2 acre grassy field. I'm sorry to say the asclepius I planted quickly invaded the field where it has essentially taken over. I have feared all asclepius ever since (except a. tuberosa, which I love!). Sounds like maybe I could try a. purpurescens - it looks really nice... still leary to try it.
As for the sweet autumn clematis, it grows wildly all along the woodsy winding road I live on. I've never planted it; it arrives uninvited. But it's not hard to pull, though the tangle of branches can be a mess to sort out of your shrubs if you don't catch it early enough.
I meant to add a picture of sweet autumn clematis (clematis terniflora), but forgot to attach.
Too bad tcs, about the seeds. Why don't you see if you can get an end of the seasons plant or two cheap.
I have 5 maybe 6 butterflyweed plants from my original two since they self seed well with a little help.
The purple milkweed is the one I'm waiting for the pods to ripen, I might even try to winter sow this one.
I'm a fairly lazy gardener when it comes to seeds, I usually just let them self sow.
Sometimes it's nicer (and easier) to appreciate them on neighboring properties rather than have to deal with them ourselves.
Weerobin, If I had an open field ( actually I did plant it in the local preserve) I would plant the A. syriaca since it does provide a better
toxic protection for the monarchs then the butterfly weed or swamp milkweed. The monarchs need all the help we can give them because the new genetically modified crops allow farmers to spray roundup and kill off all the milkweed without affecting the corn or soy plants.
There is a deep dip in Monarch population this year because of the spraying. If you check the hummingbird/ butterfly forum you will see all the people complaining about the lack of Monarchs this year. I have only seen one lone male and I have at least 11 swamp milkweeds, 6 butterflyweed and 1 purple milkweed.
So you did a good thing.
It is such an important plant for the monarchs but it's not a plant for a small garden.
It's too funny... this spring I ordered Campanula 'Cherry Bells,' but read the dire warnings in time and put it in a pot. When it bloomed it was pretty, but I didn't care that much so wasn't upset when it nearly died during a heat wave. I figured I was well rid of it, there are enough problems here already.
Lo and behold, in another area there is a hole, and just for fun I let an interesting glossy dark green leaf show me what it is. Hah!!! It's the same plant in white! Now of course I realize that I've been pulling out those leaves for years, all over the place, and still see them everywhere.
But I like the white flower where it is... what difference can it make to let it it keep going? It's on a narrow ledge in front of a mature box hedge with not much room to run. And anyway, I already have to pull it up everywhere else, the damage was done long ago.
Hmmmmmmmmm.... what do you all think?
Pam
Oh, wow, it's really beautiful. I think, so much more so than 'Cherry Bells' And, after all, it's only a weed if you don't want it and can't keep it from neighboring properties, so...
I have those on the west side of my house, they aren't a problem because I planted strawberries on it not realizing they were so agressive! rofl! Now they are taking over. Another plant that is a killer is russian sage! There maybe a variety that doesn't run, but I have one bush and it runs everywhere.
Donna, Your plant looks just like a plant I grow, Symphyandra hoffmannii; it is closely related to campanulas.
http://www.google.com/search?q=symphyandra+hoffmanii&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi&biw=1680&bih=897#um=1&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=B_w2TujBA6PciAKB6YH5Dg&ved=0CDoQBSgA&q=symphyandra+hoffmannii&spell=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=ad95f85284ced14f&biw=1680&bih=897
happgarden, I've never had a problem with my Russian Sage! I have two plants, and they have behaved themselves nicely!
Natalie
Susan, I think it's gorgeous!
My russian sage will send up suckers 3 feet from the mother plant and is quite prolific. Course taking out the Mother plant in one garden I spent the next 3 years getting the suckers out and of course they are faster than me...rofl.
I wish I knew which ones I have, but I think the tags are long gone! I got one from a neighbor who was dividing hers, and she said she's never had a problem with it sending up suckers. Maybe I just got lucky!
Natalie
My Russian Sage has never once sent up suckers. I love it.
That's what I always heard and read about it. A friend sent one she and her son dug up and it took a very long time to get settled in but it's growing well now. My original one is taller than I am and I'm not short!
One of my Russian Sage has been moved so many times that it's not funny! Every time I think it has died, it starts growing! I've just never been able to settle on where I want it at, but it keeps on growing! Ya, it's little, but it looks really healthy and is growing really well. I was positive that it was dead this Spring, but it surprised me by coming back to life! The one my neighbor gave me has also been moved, three times, and it looks fantastic!
My Grandmother had a lot of Russian Sage, and whenever she wanted a new one somewhere else, she'd just break off a piece and stick it in the ground, and it always grew. She never did anything special to it, and never actually cut the branch off. She'd just break off a piece! She shared her plants with everyone in the family, so we all had some of it growing, and always started it the same way she did. I think it's one tough plant that isn't picky at all!
Natalie
None of yours sucker? Wowzer, I completely removed one from the garden because of suckering and I am still digging it out. I have seen it used in landscapes and noticed theirs didn't sucker either....wonder what the deal is? I do know there are plants that one species will spread and the same plant (looks the same) won't spread. I guess I was just real unlucky. I loved the pictures in magazines but it has been horrible for me. I don't have great soil, infact it is really just clay.
Do you have a photo of yours, happ? How tall did it get?
It gets about 3 or 4 feet tall, I probably don't have photos, I can take some tonight.
Thanks. I'm wondering if some nursery might be interested in propagating it.
happ, maybe it's not Russian Sage? How about Mexican Sage instead? I've never had Mexican Sage, so I can't tell you if that one likes to spread or not.
Natalie
That was my thought as well and why I asked for a photo but I've never heard of MS growing that tall.
On the bright side, I saw tiny baby Russian Sage plants on sale as was able to dodge that bullet. Unfortunately, I did bring home some Mexican Evening Primrose http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/54831/ last month before I read about them on DG. I will probably be posting them on a thread like this someday.
Eleven, A friend planted his Mexican Evening Primrose in a big pot buried in the ground, and his has never spread. I wish I had though to do that with mine because it's a total battle trying to get it under control! It's so pretty, but it won't stay put!
Natalie
Natalie, mine were planted in a sunny bed in the middle of a bunch of patio and river stones. The DG information says they spread by stolons, which I can live with. I have another similar primrose that inch along by their stolons and are very easy to control and transplant. But do yours also self-sow? As my husband puts it, I hate when plants pop up "outside the lines." Even nice plants, like my columbines, get weeded in the spring for that very reason.
Eleven, I've only had one or two come up from seed, as far as I can tell. The only way I know it's from seed is that there is a deep barrier between it and the other plants, and it's about 3 feet away. I considered them to be "outside the lines"! Mine have never inched along though! They run full speed! Hopefully you'll have better luck, since they are planted among stones. I really do love them but I wish I hadn't planted so many of them, and I also wish I had put them in pots buried in the ground.
Natalie
Cindy, I'm with you. I rarely pull my columbines and they come up in very pleasing and interesting places. I consider them 'outside-the-lines' plants. ;-)
Okay, no making me feel guilty! I would have hundreds of seedlings if I left them growing in the patio and garden stones =( At least, I leave the wayward ones in the hosta beds until I can transplant them later.
I have had Russian Sage for years (8 maybe?) and have always said, "no it doesn't spread". But...I planted 4 all the same type, etc. about 6-8 feet apart along the the side of my front yard. I like them very much, but they are no longer all the same. Two are about 4 feet tall, and behaving the way I think RS should, but the other two are 5 and 6 feet tall and are starting to sucker, especially the taller one. I pull all the shoots I see and it hasn't been too much of a problem...yet. Keeping my fingers crossed.
I have evening primrose too in the same bed, and I planted it about 3 years ago despite being warned of it's invasiveness. So far it's o.k., but I have started pulling it out where it is unwanted. Again, crossing fingers.
If I were a different type of gardener I might hate of a lot of my plants for traveling, guess it's a good thing I don't really mind it. I hesitate to say that there's anything I wish I hadn't planted, maybe snow-in-summer - I've been digging up and pulling that stuff out everywhere - but I don't want it gone completely,
I keep my aquilegia volunteers, too. Also all foxgloves, both perennial and biennial, and the yellow aconitum lyctonum/lamarckii If they are in the way, I move them. Actually, that list is rather long. Funny, the difference between volunteers and invasives!
Pam
I've never pulled up a columbine seedling - ever! I can't even imagine doing that! They are at the top of my favorite flowers list, along with daylilies! I've never had a problem with them reseeding all over, so maybe that's why I haven't had to pull any! They have a bed with hostas, and they can do as they please! I've had two really beautiful ones come up from seed in the front yard, and I don't know where they came from since I don't have any others like them. I need to get an ID for them as they are now my favorites!
Natalie
Columbines are notorious for crossing with each other. You may have some new ones that are unique to you. We need pictures:)) I've never met a columbine that I didn't like.
I have gravel steps (rimmed with landscape timbers) that descend into the lower part of my back garden. The columbines have made themselves quite comfy growing in the gravel. They don't stay too wet in winter that way. And they're three different colors, all self-sown. One is a spurless rose color, maybe a cross between A. clematiflora and another variety. Seedlings with chartreuse leaves are also valued, especially in my shade.