What is this?? Invasive? Edible?

[mrcman]

Hi All,

I've attached a photo of a weed? and am curious as to what it might be.

Tony



http://www.theeasygarden.com/forum/uploads/8931_img_0646.jpg

 

[seedcorn]

Kill it. Destroy the seeds.

 

[canesisters]

DITTO!

 

[digitS']

Is it Jimsonweed? ( oak.ppws.vt.edu/scott/weed_id/datst.htm )

Jimsonweed showed up in my garden recently, hiding under sunflowers. That is, it showed up last year but I was able to identify it this year.

I thought it was another Solanaceae weed - the Buffalo Bur. The Buffalo Bur showed up around here about 10 years ago. It is still very limited in its "toehold" and I think we can be happy about that. I've only found 1 plant in my yard but have seen a few along the river, now and then.

I guess Jimsonweed is fairly common in large parts of the US - don't know why we haven't seen Jimsonweed before. I kept it from blooming last year but found a couple of plants with those big white blooms during the summer. The Buffalo Bur has yellow flowers.

Steve

Cane', are you anywhere near Jamestown?

 

[canesisters]

Not too far away Steve. When I was a kid, a really special treat was to ride the Jamestown ferry and throw bread to the seagulls off the back.

 

[seedcorn]

That's what I think it is, Steve.

 

[catjac1975]

With the purple stem it looks like purple Datura also know as Angel's Trumpet. It is very toxic.

 

[lesa]

Cat, I was thinking those seed pods reminded me of Angel's Trumpet. Have you ever had them in your garden, Mrcman?

 

[digitS']

from the linked webpage at Virginia Tech:

"The stem below the cotyledon (hypocotyl) is initially maroon in color toward the base, eventually becoming maroon throughout."

Jimsonweed is Datura stramonium and (according to Wikipedia): ". . . got this name from the town of Jamestown, Virginia, where British soldiers consumed it while attempting to suppress Bacon's Rebellion. They spent eleven days in altered mental states. . ." You can read about those "altered mental states" in Wikipedia.

Steve

 

[bj taylor]

I thought it looked like poke salad/ink berry