I am trying to get to grips with my overgrown garden which is covered in this prickly weed. Looks like a fern but very invasive (France's answer to bindweed!) Does anyone have any idea what it is and how to get rid of it. Have tried digging but its roots seem to extend all over the garden. It winds its way up through the plants and has tiny little thorns (very sharp).
Any suggestions gratefully received.
Thank you Pamela. I think the 'climbing asparagus' sounds exactly right. So I will spray and follow their instructions.
another option is to cut back the foliage with a scythe and then dig out the roots/bulbs. Long process, especially if the ground is hard, but you will eventually get it! We have problems with the bryony (roots and climbing parts) - they are spread so easily by birds and are usually dropped in the most incovenient places for us to remove.
btw - in New Zealand the agapanthus is now considered a weed and in France you have to pay quite a bit for this plant! The NZ flax was planted in South Wales as a preventative for erosion, but it has taken over and is now a weed there.
Just found this which you might find useful, especially regarding disposal of the roots:
http://www.doc.govt.nz/conservation/threats-and-impacts/weeds/common-weeds-in-new-zealand/climbing-asparagus/
as this is a NZ article remember to reverse the months for seasons (ie, October is mid-spring and Feb is mid-summer)
Thanks Pamela. Will just keep spraying and hope for the best - not keen on weed killer usually because of my dog but no choice with this one I think. It most definitely has prickles on it and is very invasive - doesn't even seem to die back in winter ....
yes agree it does look a bit like asparagus fern, but I've grown this years ago in a pot and don't recall that it climbs through other plants - I also don't remember it having spikes. There might be some berries on it though, if it has flowered during spring - they will probably be greenish and turn reddish in autumn/winter (if the plant doesn't die back by this time). I'm doubtful it's asparagus but in any case, roundup might be your answer - but if there is no new growth you may have to repeat the roundup more times when the plant is actively growing.
Peter
Peter
Yes, it does look like it. Will give it a good full strength Roundup spray. It does get quite
cold here in the winter (cold enough to have a burst pipe last year) but this stuff is tough.
You will love it here it is beautiful and although I seem to have this villain in my garden I haven't really noticed it much elsewhere so I may be just unlucky. Also I am not here all year so I probably haven't kept a close an eye on it as I should of done!
Thanks for your help
Patricia,
It's possible that this is Asparagus aethiopicus Sprengeri, the Asparagus Fern. Take a look at this Australian page which has some good closeup pics and some suggestions for weedkillers, though these are probably not available in the EU. The Wikipedia article says that it's vulnerable to Roundup, so you could always try using that at maximum allowed concentration, especially reapplying the Roundup if it regrows. The Roundup gel, though expensive, is worth a try as it's very concentrated and can be used where there are other plants you want to keep.
If it is an Asparagus, lawn-type "selective" weedkillers won't be effective as Asparagus is a monocot, like the grasses, and those weedkillers are designed to spare the monocots.
As for your location, it's probably not cold enough to kill off this PITA in the winter. That's a lesson for my wife & I, who hope to move down there in the none-too-distant.
Please come back & let us know if this does seem to be the right weed.
Peter
I have tried Roundup and it goes a bit brown then makes a stunning recovery.
I have attached some photos (not very good I'm afraid) of this menace. I am in 34 near Magalas.
Patricia,
Could you post a photo or two of this menace? Have you tried any weedkillers (e.g. Roundup/Glyphosate or lawn selectives like 2.4.D)? Personally I don't think I've met this weed, but I don't think I really want to! What part of the country are you in?