What makes a weed a weed? You decide
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- 3 min read
It's gardening season. Many people are anguishing over the weeds that may be growing in their garden beds this time of year. Instead, we should be asking ourselves some questions. Is a weed always a weed? What classifies something as a weed? Can weeds actually be useful?
Let's take a closer look at some of the plants that are probably growing in your backyard.
The definition of a weed is "a wild plant growing where it is not wanted." With a definition like that, it sounds like whether a plant is a weed is a matter of opinion.
The plants many people call weeds have benefits such as providing habitat and food for wildlife and attracting pollinators. Some can be a tasty and nutritious treat for humans too! Keep reading. You might change your mind about some of these so-called "weeds."
Purslane
This common backyard succulent stores water in its crunchy oval leaves and purple-red stems. Purslane is grown as a crop in some countries, and archaeological records report that purslane has been in North America for at least 3,000 years! Originally from India, purslane is considered naturalized worldwide.
If you are not using pesticides, herbicides or other chemicals in your garden, it is a great addition to your sandwich, salad, soup or stir-fry. Think of it as a free substitute for store-bought spinach.
Words to know
Anguishing: To be in pain or distress or to have anxiety.
Beneficial: Producing good or helpful effects.
Classify: To arrange in groups or classes.
Succulent: A plant with thick leaves and stems that can store a lot of water.
Purslane is sometimes sold in farmers markets and upscale restaurants, but it often found growing in our backyards! This superfood is high in vitamins and rich in omega-3 fatty acids. It has a fresh, lemony, tangy flavor.
In addition to being a tasty treat for us humans, seed-eating sparrows and leaf-loving deer snack on purslane too.
Over the years, purslane has been treated as an ornamental plant, a medicinal phenomenon, an unwanted garden weed and an edible nutritional powerhouse of a plant! How will you view this plant from now on? Will you let it grow between your tomato plants or pull it out and throw it in your compost pile?
Lambsquarters
A tall, fast-growing plant that is high in beneficial nutrients and it's delicious? Let's learn more about lambsquarters, which can “grow like a weed” and many people consider to be a weed.
This cousin to spinach is easily identified by the dusty silvery coating on the underside of its goose-foot-shaped leaves, giving lambsquarters the nickname goosefoot. From white-tailed deer and deer mice to caterpillars and stink bugs, everyone likes the taste of lambsquarters!
Don't like the taste of spinach? Give this milder version of spinach a taste (but only if you don't use chemicals in your yard where you harvest it!). Lambsquarters can be eaten on sandwiches, steamed like spinach, mixed in with soups or eaten raw in a salad.
Will you take these plants as a blessing or curse when you find them growing in your yard this year?
Creeping Charlie
This plant, sometimes called ground ivy, is originally from Europe and grows low to the ground in vines. Its small flowers are purple and funnel shaped.
Take a close look at the leaves. They grow opposite from each other. Pick a small, scalloped leaf from this plant, crush it in your fingers and take a sniff. What does it remind you of? Observe the stem. Is it round like a straw? Nope! Creeping Charlie is a member of the mint family, so it has a square stem. You probably noticed a mint smell when you sniffed the leaves.
This plant contains potassium, calcium and many other nutrients. The leaves can be added to a salad and have a strong peppery flavor. The flowers have almost no flavor, so if you wanted to add a colorful purple topping to your food, here's your chance! This plant can also be dried and put in warm water to make a tea.
Early settlers from Europe brought creeping Charlie to North America as a medicine. Historically, it was used to help with many ailments, including coughs and headaches.
Remember: Only you decide what a weed is and what the consequences are. If you want to keep your garden beds weed-free, that is your choice. On the other hand, if you don’t mind your yard being taken over by dandelions, let it happen — and have a snack while you're at it!
Note: Anyone can be allergic to any plant, so before you eat something new, check with an adult and only eat a small amount to see if your body reacts negatively.