Plant ID Please?

[noobiechickenlady]

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I have clumps of this growing in several areas. The goats don't seem to want to eat it, but if it's not good for them, I'd rather take it out of their areas.

Smells a bit like carrot greens when bruised or crushed.

 

[desertcat]

It looks like what ranchers around here refer to as mustard weed...nothing seems to think it's tasty! I really don't know what it's proper name is, I'm just grateful that it goes away early in the season. It plays havoc with my sinuses. On the other hand, it's usually the first hint of green that we see around here. :/

 

[stepstephens2]

Does it get a little green head at the top that looks like it should flower in the summer, but never does? It kind of looks like common pineapple weed (sometimes it gets big like that at my house). Pineapple weed is also sometimes called wild chamomile and it will grow pretty much anywhere. If some of the plants do have the seed head on them already take it and crush it between your fingers and smell... if it is pineapple weed it will smell like light fresh pineapple. If it turns out to be that then you don't have to worry because it is actually fairly nutritious and edible.

 

[AmyRey]

That looks a lot like what we call "dog fennel" around here:

 

[calendula]

I think it looks like pineapple weed too.

 

[noobiechickenlady]

Hmmm, wild mustard doesn't seem to help. I can't find any references to it other than garlic mustard, which it definately is not. Garlic mustard would make me happy cause it's yummy! Thanks tho!
I don't remember the flower it produced, but it is a lot more feathery than pineapple weed leaves. More like dill than a fern. The pineapple weed looks like it has leaves kinda like lavender.

The white stems are fairly fragile and the leaves are very soft, not at all prickly. It either reseeds where it is, or it comes back from the roots, as I can see old stems from last year's plants all around the base of this seasons growth.

 

[thistlebloom]

Looks to me like it could be wild anise, aka wild fennel .

 

[noobiechickenlady]

Ooooh, dog fennel! Found some pictures online to go with yours. I think you're right!

And through a bit of reading, it seems dog fennel & pineapple weed are often mistaken for each other.

Thanks!!!

Edited to add botanical name, as there are a few plants that go by the name dog fennel. This one is eupatorium capillofolium.

 

[vfem]

We call it dog tail or dog fennel.... just a weed... however, its native to the coastal towns of NC. There they let it grow wherever it wants!

 

[sparkles2307]

Uhhhh if it smells like carrots when crushed it might be hemlock... be careful