With a new house, came an established garden (in Toronto) - A couple of flowers/plants which we can't identify Flower#1 - Is this is "plant" or a weed? Haven't seen any flowers yet, growing in a clump with about 5-6 shoots/stems, quite tall ( about 4') . Given all the other flowers in the garden, think it is unlikely a weed would have grown into such a large clump?? Thanks for your help elsayyz
I have that same plant here, and have come to the conclusion that it's a weed, simply because I don't like it (which is the general definition among gardeners - I'll happily let dandilions go, but this thing irks me, so I pull it up). It's a member of the Asteraceae (if you let it bloom it will have small compound flowers typical of the family), and it spreads like crazy if you let it seed.
Honeybees love it. It is also a host to beneficials. The garden looks indeed established and good. I would trust the previous owners in their choice of plants, looks like they knew what they were doing. I have one Goldenrod plant for 5 years or so, I love it. It blooms late, when there are not too many other flowers and it is literally buzzing with honeybees. I have never seen any little seedlings around it.
I can assure you that it behaves very differently in the tropics. I can't pull it out fast enough - I have other, native plants that are better hosts for beneficials, and which I encourage in the garden.
