Indeed as our son has discovered - growing all over his garden and is having to weed out.

We don't feed niger but I understand that the spilled seeds can make a huge mess. I have checked on the web and the parent plant seems to be an annual weed in the form of a stragley yellow daisy.

I had some for the first time this year,to attract Goldfinches,which it did but.with the seeds being so lightweight in a feeder,the wind just blew them all over the place...I wasn't expecting them to seed,but oh boy,they certainly have..the ground feels like a spongy carpet where they are,,hundreds of them..no way could I have dug them all out,or sprayed anything on them,with plants nearby..so I now have some old broken pieces of paving there,and flattening the little B's ! ..the feeder has now been secured to the pole,so it doesn't blow in the wind anymore..the Goldfinches have gone into hiding ! :o) ..

Fascinating - our niger spills too but has never grown. I've often wondered what the plants would be like.

I read up about it ,Sue..and it isn't supposed to..heat treated or something to stop that happening..If you google it,it makes interesting reading..I think it said it originates in Ethiopia ? without checking again,I think it was there..

It is certainly supposed to be heat treated to stop germination, but folks we know who have put in feeders have said the seed grows. Yes comes from somewhere in Africa... not good environmentally as needs to be shipped - then so do peanuts and probably sunflower hearts...

i,ve checked wikipedia, said niger was the helebore family and was very poisonous. becareful all you gardner,s

Hi Bigonion Helleborus niger is an entirely different species to the niger seed sold to feed goldfinches and other small song birds, as Bulba has already said it is a straggly yellow daisy like flower. No way could any small bird eat the seeds of H niger. Helleborus species are toxic but only if you eat them so perfectly safe in your garden...

I think you will find the plant the Niger seed comes from,is Guizotia Abyssinica,..so need to worry about the Helleborus Niger,Bigonion....I also looked on Wikipedia,so our birds will be perfectly safe..just glad I don't have to ask for it by that name...Niger seed is much easier :o)

Lol Bloomer!

But wouldn't it be funny if I did? I can see them at the GC,looking through their plant books at the information help desk !.. I wouldn't really be so cruel,Mg.. .Lol.

Lol!