Are these weeds? (flowers, growing, magnolia, butterfly)

[North_Raleigh_Guy]

I am helping a friend repalce the mulch in their planting beds. The problem is they are overrun with what I think may be weeds, but I'm not sure which are weeds and which are plants they planted years ago. My friend doesn't know either. Can you tell me if the plant in these pictures are weeds. Thanks!

Picture 1 (Mulch covered by growth)


Close-up


What are these tall plants? Weeds?








How about the bushy growth (weeds?)


Close-up

[cap1717]

the "weeds" are (heck, it's been ages since I've lived in a temperate climate, brain fart time) they get little blue flowers and might be pretty if they did not "take over. The "tall stuff" growing in them looks like perennial vinca. . .normally a trailing groundcover, but i could be wrong about that, I think we need a southeast based horticulturist to do the I.D.'s here. . . .

[ChessieMom]

They all look like weeds to me, except for those bulbs under the tree. I'd kill em all and start over!!!

[Belinda_Cooperstone1]

Do not kill them all taper them back, once they flower they will be beautiful. I do not remember any of their names but I do know what they are to see. Just taper them they will be happy they have them.

[si33]

The first picture is some sort of Dayflower species(plant which resembles a wandering jew)..a sort-of weedy perennial of partially shaded moist spots..not one id completely remove, just thin it back and plant between..It does flower and looks nice when kept in check..

The next couple pictures look similar to some type of weedy fireweed or Knot weed species..and some species of milkweed ( the tall lighter green stalks in a couple of the pictures)..leave them ( the milkweeds..) They are probably seedlings which came from a native stand somewhere nearby..and will provide food for monarch butterfly larvae..

The other pictures where the beds are choked with weeds should be cleared out..especially the weedy cranes bill (plant with maple like leaves); the bed near the front stairs..and the bed under the window where the magnolia is located..

After they are cleared, you can apply something like preen to help beat back any weeds which try to re establish themselves between the plants you decide to put in..or apply a mulch at least 2" deep..this also helps to keep the majority of weeds from getting a firm hold in newly planted beds..

As for the Milkweed, i noticed that it appears to be pretty wide spread in one of the beds (based on the pictures)..it also can be thinned though many milkweed species tend to form deep root stalks which can be difficult to remove..

The main thing is to remove weedy plants before they get a chance to form seeds..it will also assure that any re establishment will be more difficult..and be much easier to controll..

[andthentherewere3]

I treat them all as weeds, except for the milkweed, which monarch butterflies love. If it were me, I'd dig up the milkweed and re-plant them together in a nice grouping.

[tcs1366]

I too was going to say to leave the MilkWeeds.

[LadyRobyn]

Originally Posted by cap1717

the "weeds" are (heck, it's been ages since I've lived in a temperate climate, brain fart time) they get little blue flowers and might be pretty if they did not "take over. .

Asiatic Dayflowers. Very hardy, very prolific and VERY hard to get rid of. I have them on two sides of my house and it is definitely a love/hate relationship. I've tried Roundup, turning the soil every few days for an entire season and just pulling them like weeds... and still they come back and thrive.

[southernnaturelover]

Looks like some type of Vetch in the last picture, I have it everywhere and it usually dies off once the summer heat gets here. The Cranesbill geranium in the same picture is also very aggravating.

[SCGranny]

The definition of a "weed" is something that grows where you don't want it.

I used to live in the Southeast, and - as pretty as some of the flowers on the plants you've pictured may be - I consider them all to be invasive weeds. Rip em out by the roots, THEN till with either a fork (small spaces or around roots of things you want to keep)or tiller (large spaces). Then start over with some nice bedding plants or perennials to fill in the gaps,, mulch well, and don't let even the tiniest head of them come back up. Those things take over in a very short time and strangle out any plants that you want to keep.