Flower or Weed?

[Amy]

I also posted this on the Flower & Garden board, but since there are a lot of macro flower shots on this board, I figured maybe somebody here might also be able to help.

I can't tell you how many times I've planted perennials, only to have them start growing the next year and I think they're weeds and I pull them out. I must have planted Gallardia 4 or 5 years in a row before I realized what I was doing!

Anyway, these plants came up in my front garden bed this year; I have absolutely no recollection of planting anything that looked like this, and I think they might be weeds. But I figured I'd check with you guys just to be sure before I rip them out.

Here's a picture next to a tulip so you can see the size:

And a closer look at the flower heads:

Flower or weed? I know, not the best photography. I took the shots early this morning (bad light) since we're due to get rain this afternoon and I wanted to get some gardening in.

 

[jann1033]

would i might guess bugbane from the photo , mostly due to the coarse looking leaves...so "wildflower" ie you probably didn't plant it
i do the same thing even when i put stakes in them i forget or see the stake to late , with me it's balloon flowers since they come up so late...and when hubby does the weeding...just forget it, i'd be better off just going out and pulling every real plant out to save time

 

[Ratpack]

That looks very similar to a weed I see a lot of down here in SC. A little hard to tell 100% from the photo, but if you don't remember planting anything like that, then I would say it is a weed. And if if is the one I am thinking of, they grow rather quickly.

 

[photo_chick]

My mom always told me a weed is any unwanted plant. So the larger question is, do you want it in your garden?

I have bluebonnets all over my yard in the spring, I like them and let them grow considering it a flower (as every Texan should). My neighbor does not like them and yanks them out of her yard.. to her they are a weed. Then again, my neighbor planted johnny jump ups all over her garden and they are spreading into my yard. I don't care for them so I yank them out of mine.. to me they are a weed because I don't like them.

It is all your point of view!

 

[Amy]

would i might guess bugbane from the photo , mostly due to the coarse looking leaves...so "wildflower"

Hmmm.....I Googled bugbane, and the leaves are diff. than my plant, although it does look kind of similar.

That looks very similar to a weed I see a lot of down here in SC. A little hard to tell 100% from the photo, but if you don't remember planting anything like that, then I would say it is a weed. And if if is the one I am thinking of, they grow rather quickly.

My mom always told me a weed is any unwanted plant. So the larger question is, do you want it in your garden?

My gut is telling me it's a weed, and the fact that there are a lot of them in my garden when I didn't plant them makes me pretty sure it IS a weed. I guess I'll be yanking tonight if it doesn't rain.

photo_chick, I'd heard that saying too....anything that's growing where you don't want it to is a weed.

Thanks for your help!