Where is the Craziest Place You've Seen a Weed Grow? (photo)

[NJCher]

Weeds amaze me. This is a NJ weed growing out of the division of a barrier on a six-lane NJ highway which is under construction.



I took the shot while stopped in traffic.

There was a weed like this growing out of every single segment of concrete barrier and this went on for over a mile. It amazes me because there is no soil nutrient or water to speak of, yet this weed is large and green.

I tried to identify it but couldn't. Might write the extension people at Rutgers. I think the one below it is common pigweed.

This actually is not my favorite unusual weed spot, though. That was a freaking weed TREE growing out of a second-floor window of a rundown house that we would pass on the way to the airport. It had to be 12' tall. It's gone now, though, the house having been renovated.

[quaint]

1. Weeds shall overcome...

[mitch96]

2. And silly me thought you were talking about pot....hummmm...nt

[mike_c]

3. I have seen weeds growing in redwood tree canopies...

...hundreds of feet in the air. They germinate in arboreal pockets of "soil" composed of decomposing leaves and needles trapped by branches. Functioning ecosystems by the cubic meter. I presume the seeds were dispersed by birds.

[NJCher]

5. never heard of this before

how high can the weed grow? Does it throw off the esthetics of the tree?

[mike_c]

6. How far up?

Weeds will sprout at any height within the tree canopy, wherever falling leaves and other debris are trapped by branches and crotches, and whenever seeds can reach the resulting humus accumulations. It's a tough environment that's well suited to fast growing, weedy plants and shrubs, prone to drying out in summer and remaining wet all winter.

I don't know about esthetics-- these are wild trees in dense forest. Really, they're most beautiful from within the tree crowns themselves. Many arboreal humus accumulations are invisible from the ground, hidden within the high canopy.

[Kali]

4. the top of my chimney

and I know I have a picture somewhere, but after looking for an hour I sure couldn't find it.

[RandomNumbers]

7. The big-leaf plant looks (maybe) like Pawlonia. Invasive.

Check info here and see if that matches the plant you are seeing.

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/paulownia-tomentosa/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulownia_tomentosa

Natch, a search for Pawlonia reveals that Wal-mart has them for sale.

[NJCher]

8. by jove I think you've got it

I read both links. How interesting:

massive leaves are produced (up to 60 centimetres (24 in) across)

and

These are popular in the modern style of gardening which uses large-foliaged and "architectural" plants.

And speaking of


The soft, lightweight seeds were commonly used as a packing material by Chinese porcelain exporters in the 19th century, before the development of polystyrene packaging. Packing cases would often leak or burst open in transit and scatter the seeds along rail tracks.

Not exactly a stellar executive decision.

Thanks for the input!

[RandomNumbers]

9. You're welcome!

Whoever manages that area - presumably the highway department - will need to either pull it repeatedly, or unfortunately use herbicide. It is a persistent one. I had it on my property when I bought the place - popping up in a very inconvenient spot - and since I didn't know it's reputation I just pulled it over and over again until it gave up. At one point I might have dug to get more root. My neighbor STILL has a pawlonia (I don't dare tell them it's invasive, I am certain they don't care), but it seems to have taken the hint and is not bothering to sprout in my yard anymore.

[Emile]

10. I have a friend who never washes his pickup. In

the bed of the truck he has weeds and a small tree growing. Doesn't seem to worry about it, so I just laugh to myself and stay quiet.