help in growing rose bay willow herb please

[Jimy Dee]

Hello all. I wish to grow rose bay willow herb. There is very little of it growing in my catchment area. For those green fingered Beeks - how best to grow this plant please?
What is the best time of year , what soil preparation is best?
Should I set seed, if so what is the best way to deal with the seed heads to get the seed?
I gather from reading this web that in some places this plant abounds but for those of us who would like to establish it - all quality advise welcome. I am looking for something other than "throw it on the ground!". Thanks in advance.

 

[pargyle]

Throw it on the ground .. it's a weed, seeds set prolifically, it will grow on no soil at all ... it will even grow on slag heaps with no whatsoever.. seeds are designed to spread by being blown by the wind ... be careful what you wish for ....

 

[Anduril]

http://www.gardenersworld.com/blogs/plants/growing-rosebay-willowherb/4143.html This link should suit your needs.

 

[Jimy Dee]

Thanks P. But will the seeds grow through thick vegetation already growing in situ ?

 

[Erichalfbee]

I've pulled out bracken from one hedge and thrown Rosebay seed heads there, Will wait and see what happens.

 

[Chrisfnvs]

Also known as the fire weed it will grow well on sites that have been used for industrial purposes, along side railways road sides etc, the seeds are fluffy and float on the wind, i think i read some where that a single plant can produce tens of thousands of seeds which can make it spread everywhere, so be careful where you sow it, i am not sure if you can buy the seeds, just find someone that has it on their land, i am sure they would give you some, if that is allowed that is, it may be a weed but the bees love it.

 

[pargyle]

Thanks P. But will the seeds grow through thick vegetation already growing in situ ?

It will grow just about anywhere and will smother any other vegetation in the area .. it really can be quite invasive ... the seeds are small but have a sort of down on them that carries them in the wind .. wherever they land they will germinate ... one plant will have hundreds if not thousands of seeds .... like I said - be careful what you wish for ....

 

[Jimy Dee]

Erich - I did the same this year - just scattered seed heads but I wonder if I was wasting my time.its the reason I put up this question. Once established no prob but getting it established is the trick.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

why don't you do it properly - find a nice bit of woodland and set fire to it - it'll soon grow then.
What is this obsession with helping spread highly invasive flora to the detriment of what's there already?

 

[Jimy Dee]

Fair point if you have a good supply but where I am there is nothing once the briar stops and the ivy begins . I noticed this year that the rose bay continued beyond the briar/bramble and is a more sympathetic choice to HB for bridging this gap-thinking of nature more than bees when it comes to the HB.

 

[Hivemaker.]

There are endless miles of Rosebay around here, exellent for honey, fills supers fast when the conditions are right, and secretes nectar at lower temperatures, but there needs to be a lot of it, it is easily spread along the roadsides here just by the vehicles that use the roads, blowing the seed along as they go, it will seed just by driving along the road and throwing seed out of the window as you go.

 

[little_john]

Thanks P. But will the seeds grow through thick vegetation already growing in situ ?

If vegetation should prove a problem with getting the plants initially established, sow some yellow rattle at the same time. But once established it'll look after itself (which is a bit of an understatement).

You might also want to consider goldenrod - some cultivars are late flowering.

LJ

 

[Finman]

I am looking for something other than "throw it on the ground!". Thanks in advance.

Best, and only way is to dig up roots and plant them to a new places. Roots are like long ropes. Seeds will not survive in places where is allready a plant cover . It takes 2 years that you get a proper plant from seeds. First year a seed plan is a tiny, 1 inch wide rosette on the surface of bare soil. From roots you get flowering plant next year and it start to spread.

in thin and and dry soil willowherb does not give nectar. Its blooming is short and flowers are few. A thick soil keeps water long time. It spreads via roots but is not good at competition on rich soil.


.

 

[little_john]

Best, and only way is to dig up roots and plant them to a new places. Roots are like long ropes. Seeds will not survive in places where is allready a plant cover . It takes 2 years that you get a proper plant from seeds. First year a seed plan is a tiny, 1 inch wide rosette on the surface of bare soil. From roots you get flowering plant next year and it start to spread.

in thin and and dry soil willowherb does not give nectar. Its blooming is short and flowers are few. A thick soil keeps water long time. It spreads via roots but is not good at competition on rich soil.
.

Exactly the same story with goldenrod - one of the most prolific weeds in some parts of the world - and yet it takes 2 years from seed to flowering. But - same solution as above - dig up some roots/rhizomes - that's a guaranteed method of propagation, and one which will give you flowers the same year as planting.
LJ

 

[madasafish]

Exactly the same story with goldenrod - one of the most prolific weeds in some parts of the world - and yet it takes 2 years from seed to flowering. But - same solution as above - dig up some roots/rhizomes - that's a guaranteed method of propagation, and one which will give you flowers the same year as planting.
LJ

Yes: proved that this year.

Bees ignored it : better forage elsewhere..

 

[Davelin]

It is a highly invasive species; you might think it's alright for you to grow your bit on your plot, but what about all the people downwind of you who will be overrun with an unwelcome weed?

I have a feeling that it was once a notifiable weed and you weren't allowed to sow it; I may be wrong.

 

[Hivemaker.]

You can also buy the seeds, but they are quite expensive in some places.

Rosebay Willowherb is London's official county flower.

 

[Jimy Dee]

thanks folks for all the feed back

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Rosebay Willowherb is London's official county flower.

that's because it quickly colonised all the burnt out bombsites after the blitz together with heuchera - one variety of which is called 'London Pride' as it sprouted up in these wastelands

 

[Bob D.]

I've found Rose Bay difficult/slow to establish by broadcasting seed, better to dig up some root and transplant in the autumn. Once established it will spread but only slowly in my experience, easily kept in check with the lawn mower if needed.

We also have Golden Rod and tall Michelmass Daisys that we picked up from a garden clearance. Easy to propergate by lifting and dividing in autumn.

We have space, not sure I'd recommend any of them for a small urban garden.