WEED BEHAVIOR IN PLANTS

I have been  interested  in weeds, their behavior, history, aesthetic value and possibilities in  the garden, for quite some time. I will present a few examples from a wide and extended list in most urban, rural eco-regions  around  the isle.

Weed behavior could be defined as self seeding habits in the urban context where I live and practice gardening.  The taming of asphalt/concrete is part of the scheme, since these seeds  will grow in any imaginable crack, crevice or surface with little dust/soil/dirt, water or humidity, under light or shady conditions. Before I get there lets check this information, pertinent to the subject.

Weeds* often produce seeds in prolific numbers.  A good sized mullein or Canadian fleabane can release in excess of 400,000.  Weed seeds have evolved devices to ensure they get ferried to the widest range of new habitats. They can be armed with hooks, burrs, spines, ribs, hairs to help them stick to passing animals (or botanists legwear). There is also seed glue.** The common garden weed shepherd's purse is named  for its seeds heads, which resemble the little pouches or skrips worn by medieval peasants. Open up a purse and the seeds spill out like tiny gold coins.  They are covered with a thin layer of gum, which become stickier still when it's moistened--as for instance by contact with the soil--so that it can cling to the feet of birds. 

 WEEDS

RICHARD MABEY

PAGES 30-31

  

* Many plants also...** Mesquite, in me collection is one good example. 

Tecoma stans is very popular and pleasant. In the urban context is a pain the arse. The amounts of seeds are incredible, flying long distances and growing where they please. Bees love them, therefore, the mess they create is balanced when flora/fauna is concerned.  Bees and hummingbirds are fans.


Turnera ulmifolia.  The seeds are minuscule, blown by the wind they are moving up and down the vecinity...It can grow 5', a favorite of bees.

OTHER WEED BEHAVING SEEDS

IN SANTURCE

Pithelobium dulce

One of a few perfect trees for the right context/space. I has been featured before.It can reach a monster symmetric size with a round nice scaffold and crown. Birds love the sweet red/white pods.

Swetenia macrophylla

There are plenty of these trees around. Most of the time in too small back yards, sidewalks, planted in every wrong possibility one may think of.  The amusing difference is that nojuan ever plants Pithelobioums, it grows where it wants, like a weed if I may. 

These few exampless will suffice to get my drift. 

I made some comments recently about 

Guaiacum officinale in Feisbuk, in therms of their aesthetics and properties for the urban context.

In turn the photographer, in a futile attempt to be cute, added his view on the durability and hard wood quality. I added that since I am not a carpenter or woodworker..Juat the hell, what matters to me is the beauty having one at home since it was 5" and to enjoy the crown and scaffolding, perfect for the spot where is planted at 10', seven 7 years later.

that is that.

BETWEEN SANTURCE AND LONDON: PARIETARIA

IF you are sixty of age, you probably grew up in an agrarian culture, at least if you are in  the Caribbean.  If you had a mother, she probably had some notions about medicinal herbs.

Mine did and there are around ten names of medicinal plants I remember from conversations or for being cured with them. That is the background of this post.

I would have never expect to find the name of any plant from my context, concrete/asphalt in the Caribbean,  a weed, growing in London. It does not matter if it they are not related or even similar.

Richard Mabey, on page 287, mentions it. The book, WEEDS has been mentioned more than once.  I declare for the record,  that if you want to be a first division or great leagues gardener/collector, understanding weeds would be one of the credentials required.  

Pellitory of the wall:  A wall lover, this species tags older
walls all over London.  It will also grow on stony ground and gorgeous brownfield sites.  Old French and Latin are the origins of the words Pellitory and Parietaria (the scientific name) they mean wall. 

ALL was hunky dory in the beginning. Something was wrong. Plants growing in cold climates need that cold period to survive. That is when research left no doubts. The British Parietaria has nothing to do with what we call Parietaria.

Ours, is Pepperomia pellucida aka  Planetaria or Prenetaria. In me garden it grows on and off, where it wants, always a surprise. It is mentioned  in this poem by Hector Ruben Cardona, Phd, linguist, friend and former classmate.

Prenetaria

De la Noche Buena 

con la prenetaria,

tras una plegaria

se sirve la cena.

La mesa esta llena

de manjares ricos,

gratos, exquisitos,

con clavo y gengibre;

y que viva libre

siempre Puerto Rico.

Time to go.  Names can deceive, so  does perception. That is why a little research is always fun.