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"Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them." — A. A. Milne
Like other perhaps more desirable vegetation, annual, biennial and perennial weeds have their growing seasons. Various weeds will take up residence in the landscape at different times, presenting both a challenge and an opportunity for the home gardener throughout the year.
Summer annuals such as spotted spurge (Euphorbia maculata), crabgrass (Digitaria spp.), Florida pusley (Richardia scabra), purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) and beggar's-tick (Bidens alba) move through their life cycles in one growing season and will squeeze out other vegetation along the way. They disperse numerous seeds in their wake, some of which will sprout immediately. Others will demonstrate great patience by waiting a year, or two, or more to sprout. Germination is in the spring and plant growth and flowering lasts into autumn.
Picking up where summer annuals begin to leave off are winter annuals such as chickweed (Stellaria media). Germination begins in autumn, normally October, and blooms develop throughout the spring, followed by seed production.
Biennial weeds, such as the broadleaf bull thistle (Cirsium vulgari), establish themselves and focus on sturdy root development in their first year. Flowering and seed production occur in the second year, after which the plant dies.
Occupying the third season are perennial weeds, which will grow and flower for more than two years. Examples include dandelion (Taraxacum spp.) and plantain (Plantago major). Interestingly, while perennial weeds reproduce by seed, as do annuals and biennials, they can also reproduce through the spread of various plant parts. Depending on the weed, reproduction can occur through above ground stolens, or underground rhizomes, tubers or bulbs.
Whatever the season, one person's weed can be the right plant in the right place for another person. Bidens alba is one such plant. It loves to spread and, yes, it will take over an area left to its own designs. However, when controlled, that is, by "weeding out" excess growth and spread or placing the plant in a controlled area, it can prove to be a nice addition to the garden. The plant's tiny flowers attract butterflies, such as the Dainty Sulphur butterfly, or Nathalis iole, and other pollinators. The plant can also serve as an edible source with health benefits for us.
If you enjoy eating greens, the dandelion may fit the bill for you. This plant is not limited to growing in Florida. I have fond memories of accompanying my mother to an open field to gather young dandelion greens for salads when growing up in Pennsylvania. If you happen to have some in your lawn or elsewhere and would choose to harvest them, make certain the ground is free of pesticides to avoid the potential for ingesting unwanted chemicals. As with anything you may bring inside, wash thoroughly before consuming.
There are a variety of weeds that can be eaten. However, always do your homework to properly identify edible weeds before experimenting with them in the kitchen. You definitely would not want to mistake a non-edible for an edible. For assistance with identification, forward a picture of the weed in question to extgardener@lee gov.com. A Master Gardener volunteer will respond to your query. You can also take a sample to the UF/IFAS Lee County Extension Office on Palm Beach Blvd in Fort Myers.
Janetta Fox is a Lee County Master Gardener volunteer and member of the Garden Club of Cape Coral.
Sources:
Jurgensen, A. (July, 2015). Learning to love the weeds: bidens alba. Plant City Observer. Retrieved from https://www.plantcityobserver.com/learning-love-weeds-bidens-alba
Stephenson, C. (April, 2021). Weekly "what is it?": dandelions. UF/IFAS Blogs. Retrieved from https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/2021/04/06/weekly-what-is-it-dandelions/