Sunday, August 16, 2009
Is this a tree or a weed? Any thoughts?
We've had this tree / weed spring up in the path in our backyard - its now about 3 or 4 foot high with a thin trunk. The leaves are long and thin - most are light green, some are red or mottled red. The leaves have a rather unpleasant smell to me, but I can't put my finger on what the smell is. Does anyone have any idea what it is? Do we throw it out or transplant it?
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10 comments:
No sure what it is but I would transplant it and just see what happens.
I am really not sure cause it a while since I looked at one but my gut instinct says oleander. Maybe take a bit of it down to your local nursery to be sure.
If it is oleander I would probably compost it.. highly poisonous to people and pets if ingested in any form.
Kind Regards
Belinda
I was going to say a type of oleander too!
Boy, I can tell we're in really different climates because I've never seen anything like it. It's pretty but I guess I pay no attention to weed or tree and just go by whether I like it. :)
We have a lot of "weeds" around here that are considered weeds for rather silly reasons. Clover is so lovely underfoot and it's pretty and easier than grass, but herbicides kill it so the herbicide companies started listing it with all the weeds their products were supposed to eradicate. And mulberry trees were the host of some disease decades ago so the government started a campaign to get rid of them. The disease is no longer a problem but it's hard to find mulberries, even though they make wonderful tasty fruits.
I'm torn on the poison issue. We do have poisonous plants in our yard. The kids know better than to eat anything unless we say it's okay or it's something they can identify (like the mints or parsley). Maybe that's just relying on luck and asking for trouble though, especially with a toddler who finds a daily way to endanger himself and would in a padded room. :) There are so many possible dangers everywhere...
Boy, what a lot of babbling to say nothing at all, huh? LOL
~Alicia
Yep, I can tell we live in very different climates too, as I have never seen anything like it either!
Good luck, and let us know what the verdict is, because now I'm curious!
How long are the leaves? From the picture it reminds me a lot of the swan plant (officially called milkweed I think) that we have in our yard. Monarch butterflies lay eggs on it every year since it is what their caterpillars eat. Ours are growing again now - and I am in a similar part of the world (NZ). I am however hopeless at plant identification so it probably isn't!
Well, it seems the general consensus (both here and a tree forum I posted on) is that it's an oleandar. It's not a risk I want to take, so out it will be coming! Thanks everyone :)
It is a weed, it's common name is paddys lucerne and butterflies do lay eggs on it.
I'm with Sandra I think. I have left mine to grow over winter, so they have a head start with the butterflies next year. We didn't have any mature plants this year, so didn't hatch any butterflies.
http://butterflyadventures.com.au/butterflyarticles.html
I think it will look different in the spring, more lime coloured if it is a swan plant.
They have pretty delicate flowers and the swans actually float in water.
If at Christmas you don't like it you could pull it out then?
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