Common weeds
Garden Weeds
Weeds are plants we didn’t mean to plant in a particular spot. They take up valuable space, nutrients and sunshine that we’d rather have for plants we want to grow. Some are more persistent than others while some are kind of pretty or even edible. Not all weeds look the same, so it is important to remember that Weeds come in different shapes and sizes. Some weeds even take the appearance of plants.
“When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant.”
Pokeweed-(Phytolacca americana) is a strong-smelling plant with a poisonous root resembling that of a horseradish. Pokeweed is native to wet or sandy areas of eastern North America. The berries contain a red dye that has been used to colour wine, candies, cloth, and paper.
Wood Sorrel-(genus Oxalis), or sour grass, is a medium sized weed that occurs throughout most of North America. Wood sorrel looks similar to clover and tends to get misidentified as clover. It is edible! Oxalis literally means "sour" and it gets that name from its oxalic acid content-it tastes like lemon!
Spotted Spurge (Euphorbia maculata) is a low growing summer annual commonly considered a weed. Spotted spurge grows in almost any open area. The stems of this weed secrete a milky sap that can irritate the skin and is toxic to sheep
Crown vetch- (Securigera varia) is a vine that oftren gets employed to prevent soil erosion. It grows low to the ground and its complex root system can hold soil in place. This vine is considered an invasive species in the United States, but it's not unusual to see its attractive blooms in flower arrangements. Crown vetch is toxic to horses, but not to ruminants like cows.