tbryant2
Cincinnati, OH
Posts: 8
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| Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 5:20 pm Post subject: Tiny purplish flowers on a short stalk of leaves |
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This is coming up all over my yard (just moved here in October),it may be a weed for all I know. Can you tell me what it is and should it stay or go? Thanks!
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SongofJoy57
Foothills of North Carolina Z = 7a & 7b
Posts: 917
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| Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 5:23 pm Post subject: |
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I believe it is Ajuga aka bugleweed.
Last edited by SongofJoy57 on Mon Apr 14, 2008 11:12 pm; edited 1 time in total
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eileen
 Forum Moderator
Scotland
Posts: 18528
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| Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 7:57 pm Post subject: |
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Yes that's it!!! I have some of it in my garden too. 
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toni
Administrator
Plants Moderator
Regular Plants Contributor
North Texas, Zone 8a
Posts: 11714
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| Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 8:46 pm Post subject: |
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http://www.ppws.vt.edu/scott/weed_id/lamam.htm
http://www.wiseacre-gardens.com/plants/perennial/bugleweed.html
Check out these two sites, the first shows Henbit which is a common weed that shows up in late winter. The second is Bugleweed.
The stem in your second picture appears to be square which is like the Henbit stem and the flowers cluster at the top of the stem and down the stem at each rosette of leaves. Henbit is the first thing that blooms in the yards around here, this year we have had two growths of it. It bloomed in January, dropped seeds and bloomed again in March. It is pretty much gone now and won't show up again until maybe next fall or but definitely late winter.
If the flowers are tall spires, instead of clusters at the end and along the stem, it may be Bugleweed.
Bugleweed's normal bloom time is May - June, it might still be a little cool in Ohio for Bugleweed.
If it is Henbit, it can be invasive in flower beds but I like the looks of it in the yard before the grass greensup. If you want to try to get rid of it, now is too late. You need to use a pre-emergent on it in the fall.
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tbryant2
Cincinnati, OH
Posts: 8
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| Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 8:53 pm Post subject: |
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Actually, it looks identical to the Purple Deadnettle which is in the picture with the Henbit! I think that's it! So this is something I want to get rid of? Thanks so much for you help.
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toni
Administrator
Plants Moderator
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North Texas, Zone 8a
Posts: 11714
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| Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 9:10 pm Post subject: |
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Purple Deadnettle is another name for Henbit, I just have always known it as Henbit and really like it.
Some say yes, it's a weed so it must be yanked up or killed and some say why bother.
So I guess it depends on whether you like the look of it, which I do so I leave it alone.
It has a relatively short life span compared to most weeds, warm weather kills it, it doesn't grow back once it has been mowed down, pulls up out of flower beds very easily as opposed to weeds with massive root systems and in late winter is usually the only color you will see in your yard.
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EJ
Essex
Posts: 2863
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| Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 9:38 pm Post subject: |
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I agree, it doesn't look like Bugle to me as I have that all over the place in the garden and I have purple dead nettle all over the allotment, and it looks much more like that.
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Netty
Regular Plants Contributor
Southern Ontario zone 5a
Posts: 10320
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| Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 11:22 pm Post subject: |
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I agree with Toni! It looks like Henbit.
I believe that Ajuga's bloom stems are squarish and nettle is round. 
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