Wild & Weedy Wednesday: Not quite weeds

I'm joining Cathy of Words and Herbs once again this week to share four plants that aren't classified as weeds (at least in California) but behave a bit like them.  I've found the first three of the four somewhat difficult to manage as they self-seed wherever they like and can be difficult to remove when they settle where they're not wanted.

The first one is known by the colorful common name of Hairy Canary Clover.  Despite its common name it's native to Portugal, not the Canary Islands.  It's now classified as Lotus hirsutus but it's appeared in my blog posts on earlier occasions under its former classification, Dorycnium hirsutum.  Its foliage is soft and ever-gray.

As I recall, I originally planted it from a 4-inch pot in one of the driest areas of my garden.  It's since spread widely within that area and, although it prefers to seed itself, I've managed to transfer seedlings into my front garden as well.

As you can see in this closeup, the flowers look very much like clover.  The bees love it too.

One transplant in my front garden overtook its space and grew into the driveway following this year's heavier rain.  It doesn't look so good after being cut back (right) and I'm tempted to pull up the mother plant and let the fallen seeds replant the area.

It produces gobs of seeds

It likes to plant itself in gravel but its takes some effort to get those seedlings out.  The seedlings take their time to get established if they're moved.

It's an attractive groundcover and lovely in and out of flower, although as the photo of the plant adjacent to our driveway shows, it doesn't look great immediately after it's been pruned back hard.

Gaura lindheimeri is another plant that seeds itself wherever it likes but it's not as prolific as the Lotus.  I like its airy look but I wish it was more accommodating about its placement as it's seedlings don't transplant well.

In my garden it looks best early in the season as it's just taking off.  This photo was taken in mid-June.

These plants seeded themselves right in the middle of a path.  I haven't removed them yet but that's in my near-term plans.

I sowed seeds of the third wildflower, Daucus carota 'Dara', and then promptly forgot about it until a large plant appeared.  Before it flowered for the first time back in 2019, I was afraid that poison hemlock, a plant it resembles, had sprung up in my garden.  This one is regarded as a noxious weed in Washington state but not in California.  It's known for planting itself in disturbed places and is said to compete with native grasses and impact agricultural sites.  It's very pretty but it has a deep taproot so it isn't always easy to remove.  It also self-seeds broadly.

The plants shown here have self-sown close to its original position but seedlings have also appeared elsewhere in my back garden

It's a useful cut flower; however, it's best cut before it's fully developed as it drops seed once it's in full bloom

The last plant is native to California and, like the Daucus, it spreads in disturbed areas and is reportedly often found in ditches and along roadsides, although I can't say I'd ever seen it before I purchased an unlabeled plant from my neighborhood garden center on a whim.  I later learned that it's a form of gumweed, Grindelia (probably Grindelia camporum).  It's semi-deciduous in summer.  After it finished blooming last year I cut it down nearly to the ground.  It formed a nice compact clump this year - until it suddenly shot up over three feet in height and flopped all over its neighbors.

Loaded with buds, it produced its first bright yellow daisy flowers last week

It was planted in a spot way too small for its current size and flopped over all its neighbors

It had to go and I made relatively quick work of its removal.  The surrounding plants looked much better afterwards.

I cut a few stems and put them in a small vase.  The only criticism of the plant I have is that every part of it - the flowers, the leaves and the stems - are super-sticky.

The Grindelia didn't belong where I originally placed it when I had no idea what I was dealing with.  It needs a larger, open space where it can spread out.  If I find such a spot elsewhere, I may plant it again as it's said to be attractive to pollinators.

That's this week's weed report.  To find more wildflowers, visit Cathy at Words and Herbs.

All material © 2012-2023 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party