Volunteer ID

[Tracy]

A ground cover that pops up occasionally in my yard.  I think the previous owner had some growing somewhere which I removed many years ago, but it keeps popping up in places.  Any ideas?

[Silas_Sancona]

20 minutes ago, Tracy said:

A ground cover that pops up occasionally in my yard.  I think the previous owner had some growing somewhere which I removed many years ago, but it keeps popping up in places.  Any ideas?

Oxalis, not sure on the species though.. 

[tropicbreeze]

 It's a species of Oxalis, there are hundreds of them. Some are cultivated ornamentals but lots are considered weeds that are difficult to eradicate. They produce tiny bulblets which break off and stay in the soil when the parent plant is removed. usually a love or hate situation with gardeners, no in betweens.

[Gonzer]

Stuff's a bitch to get rid of.

 

[Tracy]

1 hour ago, Gonzer said:

Stuff's a bitch to get rid of.

 

I am realizing that.  I keep pulling it up, only to find a new clump has popped up somewhere else.  I normally don't see the flowers, because I pull it out before it blooms, but they are attractive.

 

1 hour ago, tropicbreeze said:

They produce tiny bulblets which break off and stay in the soil when the parent plant is removed. usually a love or hate situation with gardeners, no in betweens. 

I've been in the moderate dislike up until now.  I have much worse problems with offshoots from my neighbors plants:  Brazilian pepper tree which sheds peppers by the tens of thousands, and two Washingtonia robusta's that are tall, so spread seed throughout a large section of my backyard.  The pepper seedlings and little Washingtonia's are much more abundant a problem than these Oxalis.

[Gonzer]

10 hours ago, Tracy said:

I am realizing that.  I keep pulling it up, only to find a new clump has popped up somewhere else.  I normally don't see the flowers, because I pull it out before it blooms, but they are attractive.

 

I've been in the moderate dislike up until now.  I have much worse problems with offshoots from my neighbors plants:  Brazilian pepper tree which sheds peppers by the tens of thousands, and two Washingtonia robusta's that are tall, so spread seed throughout a large section of my backyard.  The pepper seedlings and little Washingtonia's are much more abundant a problem than these Oxalis.

Tracy, seems like your yard is a refuge for the volunteers from hell. Add some Ragweed to the mix and you'd be set. Might wanna consider moving to Alaska.

[Cikas]

Oxalis. Very nasty weed here. It is impossible to eradicate them. 

[necturus]

They are all over the place here in Houston, but they always die out come summertime.

[Silas_Sancona]

Depending on the species, i'm pretty tolerant of their existence in some pots  / the garden. Weedy sp like Pes caprae- the annoying yellow flowered species that likes to take over everything  gotta go but some are much better behaved, and present nice flowers or unexpectedly interesting foliage ( some of the sp. grown by Alpine plant collectors )

 

[Gonzer]

On 5/2/2019 at 1:54 PM, Tracy said:

A ground cover that pops up occasionally in my yard.  I think the previous owner had some growing somewhere which I removed many years ago, but it keeps popping up in places.  Any ideas?

 Twenty years and still they pop up.

[Brad Mondel]

I have these everywhere and I just accept their existence. 

[Gonzer]

Here's the photo to go with my above comment

[Cikas]

1 hour ago, Gonzer said:

Here's the photo to go with my above comment

Well that species actually looks beautiful. 

[Palm crazy]

I have the one Gonzer showed with the big purple leaves and yesterday I got this new one. There are two types: nonspreading and spreading ones, but you can not tell the difference without a tag.  This new one I plan on letting it spread around my little water feature as long as it reseeds as the picture I will keep it. 

[Palm crazy]

Here they are just planted this morning and looking nice, time will tell if I like them or not. 

[Gonzer]

5 hours ago, Palm crazy said:

Here they are just planted this morning and looking nice, time will tell if I like them or not. 

Now, that yellow one I could handle. Maybe I'm just burned out from fighting the purple one.

 

[Palm crazy]

5 hours ago, Gonzer said:

Now, that yellow one I could handle. Maybe I'm just burned out from fighting the purple one.

 

I thought so too when I saw it at the nursery and unexpected purchase for sure.  This one does multiply in z8- z10 so be careful what you wish for! 

[Silas_Sancona]

Figures that this thread would nudge me to take another look at some of the other Oxalis sp. again  Had already had my eyes set on adding O. gigantea to my succulent / Caudiciform collection, then come to see there are some other species i just might have to consider adding.. Ironic that two are either called.. or have the word "Palm" in their name.. Palm Tree Oxalis, O. lasiandra from Oaxaca Mexico, and Oxalis palmifrons from South Africa.  Another, O.  salteri doesn't even look like an Oxalis ( foliage ) Several species or crosses with Salmon or Orange flowers as well.  Neat stuff..

[greysrigging]

The purple Oxialis is regarded as an exotic desirable plant in Darwin ( or so it seems ) The green species is a dreadful weed in the Southern states of Australia. I have the purple one in hanging baskets at home and frankly don't really want to introduce them in the garden 'just in case'.