Plant Identification

[Tuvok]

This is growing in my grass

http://tinypic.com/r/2ljp9p2/9

http://tinypic.com/r/34erz8p/9

Any ideas?

[Toorak]

We have something very similar that appeared in our garden this year. We couldn’t remember if we had planted it but it has now grown to around 6-7 feet with small purple flowers. I now think it has self seeded. It is the reddish purple stalk and leaf shape that makes me think it could be the same thing. Sorry not to be able to be more helpful.

[Toorak]

The flowers on ours are definitely not knotweed - hard to describe, like a very large verbena.

[Tuvok]

There is nothing like it anywhere else. Only thing I can think of is that its appeared thanks to the birds or the hedgehogs (but I remove the little presents that they leave me.)

I'll probably dig it up and pot it to see what happens!

[ladybirder]

https://www.phlorum.com/services/japanese-knotweed/domestic-knotweed-removal/knotweed-identification/

[Tuvok]

It hasn't grown any higher - its been there a few weeks now.

I'll probably pot it at the weekend - got to avoid standing on it when I feed the hedgehogs!

[Tuvok]

Hope its not knotweed.

Have shown the pictures to 2 horticulturists at work and they are stumped!

[woofgang]

knotweed has a hollow stem https://www.japaneseknotweed.co.uk/japanese-knotweed-identification

[Tilly2]

If it is knotweed you are in for trouble.

[Prudie]

The red stems made me think Himalayan Balsam. I'm not sure because the leaves look a bit dark but I'd suggest that might have been what Toorak had. It is classed as an invasive weed although spectacular.

[Tilly2]

Send your pictures to RHS and see if they can help.

[Chipchopper]

What they look like to me is tree suckers (possibly damson) or similar.
If the grass was cut less than usual this year, this can happen.
Do you have any mature trees in the vicinity ?

[Chipchopper]

My guess is root suckers of a purple plum, looking at the stem colour.
regular mowing should stop them persisting, or just cut them back as they appear.

[Old_Geezer]

Ladybirder's link has an upload photo for identification button.

[Tuvok]

It is not like the bush that is close to it. There are plum trees but they are a fair bit away from it.

[Chipchopper]

I reckon its root suckers from them plum trees, they can send them up from some distance, especially if the trees were grafted on to a vigorous root stock which is the usual case.
I have these suckers coming up all over the place in my garden from the original trees that were planted around 1855, thats why I reckonised them instantly from your pics.
If they are allowed to grow, they could form a thicket of thees, so the best advice that I can give is cut them off while they're small, just snip em off at ground level, they are very shallow rooted trees.