What plants, weeds and/or trees do you hate and why?

[SteelHeadDave]

On the heels of the “ID this tree” thread it seems like a good time to air out your disdain for your least favorite plants, weeds and/or trees.

We probably have all done some bushwhacking while fishing or off trail hiking in some capacity. Some plants just plain suck to come across. Himayalan blackberry, devils club or maybe stinging nettles while wet wading?

Maybe you have a weed problem in your yard or garden that you can’t get a grip on. Morning Glory, Japanese Knotweed etc.

Have you seen any invasive issues on river banks, in lakes or beaches that you’ve noticed that have had detrimental impacts on the native ecosystem? What are the biggest culprits you’ve seen and what should/can we do about it?

For me it is…

Hiking/bushwhacking: salmonberry and willow. I can deal with a few thorns or navigate around them usually. Thickets are a real PITA though, especially in the high country.

Yard/garden: there are too many to list but the a few that come to mind are English ivy and burdoc. I bought my house a little over 4 years ago and it came with an abundance of weeds. I hate the idea of using herbicide but it’s that or tear up the yard and start over. I’ll probably aim for the later though.

Native Ecosystems: again there are so many to chose from. That’s why I’m curious to hear your thoughts. For some reason I always notice when an area is dominated with Scotch Broom. It seems to dominate certain (especially recently disturbed) habitats and when they are in bloom it’s easy to see how they’ve taken over large expanses of land.

 

[TicTokCroc]

Ha, I changed the title of mine, but I'll change it back. Tree ID could be pretty useful.

 

[RCF]

Maybe work with the MODs to have two great threads. One for ID trees and one for invasive and noxious plants?

Move posts as appropriate...

 

[TicTokCroc]

Himalayan blackberries suck the most around here.

 

[Gary Knowels]

Sweet pea, one of those weeds that never seem to go away no matter how many times I dig out the roots. I don't particularly care for the look or smell of it either.

Flowering quince is the worst though.

 

[Zak]

Japanese Knotweed. Good for nothing plant.

 

[Matt B]

Japanese Knotweed. Good for nothing plant.

I share your disdain for the cursed weed, but knotweed honey is pretty good.

 

[Tom Butler]

Blackberrys are evil, I hated them on the west side, but here in WW it's the stinking sumac. Fastest growing tree around, not good for firewood, weak limbs that break, a mass of leaves and stems that are slow to break down, seeds sprout everywhere except where existing roots are already sending up new trees, and yes, it stinks, especially when in bloom.

 

[Stonedfish]

Rhododendrons
I rue the day I planted so many when I bought my place 35 years ago.
They need to be trimmed and deadheaded every year. If I didn’t trim them, my place would look like a complete jungle after all those years.
If I only had a few, no problem but with about 30, it’s a lot of work each year.
They look nice when in bloom, but that doesn’t last long and they don’t look really special when not in bloom.
Hate may be too strong, but dislike certainly fits the bill…..
SF

 

[Buzzy]

Here in the Columbia Basin phragmites come to mind. Anyone besides me who used enjoy walking into Nunnally and wading the SW shoreline? Phramites. Beda Lake? Phragmites. Ancient Cataract Lake? Phragmites. Phragmites suck.

At home, the lovely and beautiful Wisteria whose roots travel yards to seek out your 1951 concrete sewer drain. Impossible to kill the traveling roots.

 

[Canuck from Kansas]

Hedge apples - hacked down dozens of them on the farm in Kansas, they were the bane of my existence, tore clothes, got scratched up - even trying to burn out the roots soaked with diesel, they pop right back up!!

No cheers with hedge apples (cattle are known to choke on them too)

 

[Brian Miller]

In the S Puget Sound area, Hazel trees. Same characteristics as sumac apparently.

Fastest growing tree around, not good for firewood, weak limbs that break, a mass of leaves and stems that are slow to break down, seeds sprout everywhere except where existing roots are already sending up new trees,

The squirrels get the nuts, and they (the leaves?) have mold that has given me bacterial pneumonia despite being vaccinated so I have to wear a mask when trimming & cutting them back.

 

[klq@stl]

Siberian Elm (piss elm) due to unwanted trees popping up everywhere.
Poison oak, if you ever get contaminated.

 

[Ron McNeal]

Here in the Columbia Basin phragmites come to mind. Anyone besides me who used enjoy walking into Nunnally and wading the SW shoreline? Phramites. Beda Lake? Phragmites. Ancient Cataract Lake? Phragmites. Phragmites suck.

At home, the lovely and beautiful Wisteria whose roots travel yards to seek out your 1951 concrete sewer drain. Impossible to kill the traveling roots.

Phragmites????? I've got to Google Phragmites..........

 

[Matt B]

In the S Puget Sound area, Hazel trees. Same characteristics as sumac apparently.

The squirrels get the nuts, and they (the leaves?) have mold that has given me bacterial pneumonia despite being vaccinated so I have to wear a mask when trimming & cutting them back.

Wow that’s really unfortunate. Do you know if that’s just a hazelnut thing or could it happen with other plants too?

 

[c2peak]

Any tree, bush, or weed that’s in the way of back cast.

 

[Scott Salzer]

Russian olive.....

 

[kerrys]

Grass. The stuff has to be mowed once or twice a week in the spring. Lately, in the summer, the grass turns an ugly shade of brown.

 

[Tom Butler]

In the S Puget Sound area, Hazel trees. Same characteristics as sumac apparently.

The squirrels get the nuts, and they (the leaves?) have mold that has given me bacterial pneumonia despite being vaccinated so I have to wear a mask when trimming & cutting them back.

Grass. The stuff has to be mowed once or twice a week in the spring. Lately, in the summer, the grass turns an ugly shade of brown.

Yes, almost like Brian and the Hazels', this stuff is my nemesis. Instant shower right after if in the yard. The yellow pollen that falls from the tall grass along the stream can do me in big time, lots of time lost rinsing in the river. Any antihistamine that works either puts me to sleep or wires me out, and I dislike both sensations immensely.

 

[Brian Miller]

Wow that’s really unfortunate. Do you know if that’s just a hazelnut thing or could it happen with other plants too?

You bring up a great point! The days (2 so far) that I experienced flu-like symptoms or full blown (diagnosed in ER) bacterial pneumonia I had been trimming-cutting down only wild Hazel trees on the property. I haven't experienced it when working on the Maples, Firs, or Spruce. But, Mrs Brian now wants me to wear both a face shield and mask when trimming-cutting trees, salmonberries, blackberries, blowing clippings...

Yes, almost like Brian and the Hazels', this stuff is my nemesis. Instant shower right after if in the yard. The yellow pollen that falls from the tall grass along the stream can do me in big time, lots of time lost rinsing in the river.

This has only occurred for me in late July onward for me. Pollination was long over with. Mrs Brian shares the vulnerability to the pollen so I understand.