Can i let this grow?
By Howee74
United Kingdom 
Hi Everybody, the plant in the photo grows wild in our garden, and i treat it like a weed, pulling it out - however, when ive seen it in the wild i think it looks great, will it do any harm to just let it grow?
15 Jun, 2009
Answers
oh my goodness someone on here was talking about this yesterday and how the roots can grow straight down about 1 and half meters even through hard substrate
kill it off you wont want it
x x x
15 Jun, 2009
thanks, had a feeling i'd heard something similar about it, luckily we only get the odd one at the moment
15 Jun, 2009
That's not what I know as mare's tail - mare's tail is the prostrate or scramble up through anything it can sticky, can't get it off my trousers, 18inch long stems growing from a very thin yet deep rooted central stem. And scratchy, itchy, uncomfortable to touch too.
15 Jun, 2009
I think what you're talking about Bamboo, is 'goosegrass' or 'cleavers'. Sorry, don't know the botanical name.
15 Jun, 2009
You're right, been doing a bit of research and what I'm talking about does seem to be cleavers, but in this part of London, we've always called it horses tail. Why goosegrass? I wonder
15 Jun, 2009
D'you know, I've often wondered that. One of life's little mysteries.
15 Jun, 2009
do geese eat it?
x x x
15 Jun, 2009
It's horse tail, commonly called mare's tail which is actually a different plant. It's not called a pernicious weed for nothing.
Monty Don's idea was “The most enlightened view is to incorporate it into the design and appearance of your borders.” Nutty idea if you ask me.
Mookins is right about the roots.
15 Jun, 2009
aha wagger it was you who did the blog...couldnt for the life of me remember or find it
x x x
15 Jun, 2009
cleavers is of the genus Galium.
i know it as sticky annie too but here it is also called sticky willie. as for goose grass havent a clue.
mare's tail is Hippuris vulgaris and not a flowering plant but closely allied to the ferns. its relatives were the food of some of the dinosaurs.
so an evolutionary survivor.
but in a garden a menace.
15 Jun, 2009
sounds like my mum- Dinasour evolutionary survivor, garden menace
hehehehe
x x x
16 Jun, 2009
Wicked,wicked Mookins! LOL
16 Jun, 2009
i hope she doesnt read this mookins or you will be in troble. :o)
16 Jun, 2009
hehehe- shes also not computer friendly hehehe
but I love her very much
x x x
16 Jun, 2009
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That might look very pretty and ferny, but it's a pernicious weed known as mare's tail. Get rid of as much of it as you can, but it won't be easy. In most cases, once you've got it, you've got it. Sorry!
15 Jun, 2009