I am getting ready to winterize and need to know what the first two are, so I know what to do with them. The first one is hard to see - sorry. If necessary, I will take more pictures and try to get better angles. There isn't anything around it for contrast. The last one is something that springs up here and there, but usually very late in the season - maybe 2 weeks ago. I know they won't overwinter - just can't figure out how they re-appear each year in new spots.
The first two are tree seedlings or suckers. The last is a Euphorbia spp, presumably an ornamental species that someone nearby is growing. It's not Euphorbia polychroma which is very commonly grown in this area (it's a spring bloomer with yellow bracts). It's also not the introduced weedy one, E. esula, which has narrow linear leaves.
#2 - likely Prunus - cherry. Self seeded or root sucker from nearby tree. #3 - Euphorbia peplus - Petty Spurge - a weed.
Interesting! Euphorbia peplus - despite it being an introduced weed, it's not one I've encountered yet. It's an annual, so you can eradicate it if you wish by pulling out the plants before the seeds are ejected.
No cherries nearby - none in the neigbourhood, actually - must be self seeded. Flowering crabapple. Hmm, must also be self-seeded. Not convinced on Euphorbia peplus, so yanked one and took a closer look and picture. Main umbrel has 5 rays. Euphorbia helioscopa?
Hmm, good idea... NB. The correct spelling is E. helioscopia. Another introduced annual that has been recorded in Alberta. (I've not seen this one either yet.) http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=EUHE2
As soon as I read my post, I noticed the typo. My bad. You could come see it it my yard - it appears we won't be having snow this week anyway!
Well, thanks awfully but I see more weedy euphorbias (E. esula, that is) than I could ever wish to, infesting the river banks here, LOL!
