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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCan someone please help me identify a weed?
Weve neglected a small raised bed garden, planning on clearing it out. Im a little concerned it could be poisonous. The things are about 6 feet tall.
Jim__
(14,063 posts)... you might try the Gardening Group
Jerry2144
(2,080 posts)But try an app called PlantSnap. It lets you take a photo then does a search to look for matching plants. Usually pretty accurate with mature plants, but sometimes you need to read about the possible matches
marybourg
(12,586 posts)and possibly a mask when clearing out copious amounts of bushy matter, It doesnt look like poison sumac, if thats what you were thinking, but many plants are irritating, allergenic or even toxic, so caution is advisable when contact is unavoidable.
Eyeball_Kid
(7,429 posts)a common weed that Ive pulled out of my garden for years. Were I having the same problem, Id just yank them out and plant something I could eat.
WHITT
(2,868 posts)I'm out.
Retired Engineer Bob
(759 posts)I should be so lucky to just have some mj magically appear.
KentuckyWoman
(6,679 posts)That's the only one that gets that tall that might mess you up. The rest of the tall weeds are just a nuisance.
This covers the USA.
https://www.greenbelly.co/pages/poisonous-plants-identification-guide
Whichever bugs are hiding in there will chomp you quicker than the plant itself.
long shirt, pants tucked into socks, gloves, hat and a good shower after.... the basic rule for all of it ...
flying_wahini
(6,578 posts)Spreads like a weed.
Mariana
(14,854 posts)https://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/weedguide/single_weed.php?id=112
H2O Man
(73,506 posts)to humans, dogs, and livestock. But that is if consumed, not pulled out while weeding.
CommonHumanity
(246 posts)For other goat owners or anyone else wondering about goats and pokeweed:
If you own goats you are familiar with the fact that most plants considered toxic to livestock have not been tested on goats. In fact, plants that are toxic to cattle, pigs, etc. may not necessarily be toxic to goats.
I am not suggesting that anyone randomly feed their goats plants that appear on toxic plant lists. Just saying my goats eat pokeweed and love it. I can always tell when they have eaten a good bit of it because the berries stain the fur around their lips. It seems to like to grow with kudzu among other things and my goats have a great time with it. As with goats and any plant, much depends on how much of a particular plant they eat in relation to whatever else they are eating. Just sayin' pokeweed is just fine for my goats in NC.
I'm sure someone will provide further detail on this, but pokeweed was also eaten by people in many southern states. Maybe still is. Has to be boiled/prepared till the cows come home, but again, just sayin' pokeweed is not a clear cut case o toxic to all animals in all modes of preparation. That said, don't go out, pull some up and chow down on it.
mahatmakanejeeves
(57,290 posts)You know, "Polk Salad Annie."
Yes, that is how it is spelled in the song.
Mariana
(14,854 posts)This time of year, it's bad news to eat any part of the plant.
mahatmakanejeeves
(57,290 posts)Mariana
(14,854 posts)It's cooked in several changes of water to detoxify it.
kentuck
(111,052 posts)It has the dark purple berries and a reddish stalk. People eat it for medicinal purposes.
It is best when picked very young, in early spring. Boil the shoots. Then fry them in some bacon grease and scramble some eggs in them. They are quite tasty with pinto beans.
The old wives tale is that if you eat it once a year, it builds up the antibodies in your body and prevents you from getting sick.
Rorey
(8,445 posts)I'm in Colorado.
I'm seeing a lot of different weeds this year that I haven't noticed before, and sadly I'm finding sticker weeds (goat heads?) in part of my yard. They're my most hated weeds. When I had a dog I used to carry pruning sheers with me when I walked him and I'd cut those horrid things off all the time. Parks, the edges of people's yards - didn't matter where. I did my own eradicating.
Mariana
(14,854 posts)CentralMass
(15,265 posts)jmbar2
(4,862 posts)Tecnu is miraculous for preventing poison plant reactions. You just wash thoroughly after exposure, before touching anything else. I used to get poison ivy all over me when gardening. Now, I can just wash it away.
jcgoldie
(11,612 posts)Not poisonous and even edible.
Edit: Pigweed is Amaranthus as someone stated above.
Retired Engineer Bob
(759 posts)It looks like a match.
CottonBear
(21,596 posts)CommonHumanity
(246 posts)Absolutely not pokeweed unless there is a variant that looks extremely different than the pokeweed I see every EVERY day. Don't mean to be didactic, but it is not pokeweed.
Retired Engineer Bob
(759 posts)But the leaves dont look right.
Mariana
(14,854 posts)msdogi
(430 posts)Good app for this is PlantNet, used your pic and it looks like a match
mopinko
(69,990 posts)not rly close.
Chautauquas
(4,435 posts)of identifying plants. I use it when my wife and I go for walks.
Retired Engineer Bob
(759 posts)Good for DU, appreciate the help.
Now to get off my ass and remove these things.
jcgoldie
(11,612 posts)they love those.
Retired Engineer Bob
(759 posts)Turns out Tractor Supply might be able to help.
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/cms/life-out-here/the-barn/animal-medication-for-goats/goats-for-hire
Can a goat be instructed to just go after this weed? If they get into the flower gardens my husband will be POd.
jcgoldie
(11,612 posts)They are vegetative assassins they will wipe out fruit trees grapevines flowers vegetables without a hint of conscience.
kentuck
(111,052 posts)They would feed them to the horses. They grew abundantly in KY and VA.
Response to Retired Engineer Bob (Original post)
drray23 This message was self-deleted by its author.
berniesandersmittens
(11,343 posts)Kali
(55,003 posts)at least that is what we call our version out west. it is edible as greens (raw or cooked) when young. the seeds are edible too, and can even be popped (though they are so tiny compared even to heirloom popcorn)
YoshidaYui
(41,818 posts)mahatmakanejeeves
(57,290 posts)Even if you're in The Big City, you should be able to find someone in your political subdivision who fits that description.
Sorry for the non-answer answer, but starting locally can often get an answer answer quickly.
Best wishes.
rampartc
(5,385 posts)Ms. Toad
(33,992 posts)Mullein has velvety leaves. (Mullein doesn't even come up as an option in my PlantNet app
yonder
(9,657 posts)Meowmee
(5,164 posts)I searched it here and it comes up as Amaranthus Retroflexus L or another variety
wikipedia says it can be eaten as a veggie.
https://identify.plantnet.org/
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaranthus_retroflexus