Harman Patil (Editor)

List of beneficial weeds

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This is a list of undomesticated or feral plants, generally considered weeds, yet having some positive effects or uses, often being ideal as companion plants in gardens.

Contents

Beneficial weeds can accomplish a number of roles in the garden or yard, including fertilizing the soil, increasing moisture, acting as shelter or living mulch, repelling pests, attracting beneficial insects, or serving as food or other resources for human beings.

Pest-repellent

  • Neem—repels leaf eating insects

    • Edible

  • Borage—all parts have various medicinal purposes, with the edible flowers being used in desserts.
  • Burdock—roots are edible (as are the stalks, but particularly the young leaves )
  • Chickweed (Stellaria media) -- used in salads and also as ground cover
  • Cornflower various colours; can be served as edible garnish to decorate salads.
  • Horsetail—primeval plant that produces its own vitamin D & is high in silica; tops are very similar to & may be eaten like asparagus
  • Lamb's quarters—leaves and shoots, raw, also prevents erosion, also distracts leaf miners from nearby crops
  • Nettle—young leaves collected before flowering used as a tea or spinach substitute. Plants have use as compost material or for fibre.
  • Purslane—prepared raw for salads or sautéed
  • Shepherd's purse—leaves are edible and often sautéed or blanched
  • Watercress—can be eaten raw or cooked; is considered a weed in some cultures (caution required when harvesting wild because of the risk of contracting potentially fatal liver fluke)

    • Habitat for beneficial insects

  • Wild blackberry—attracts predatory insects, and produces berries
  • Motherwort—attracts bees
  • Joe-Pye weed—habitat for pollinators and predatory insects
  • Aster—habitat predatory insects

    • Shelter plants

  • Normal grass can be used as ground cover, especially in nitrogenous soils.

    • Trap crops

    Trap crops draw potential pests away from the actual crop intended for cultivation.

  • Cowpea—attracts ladybird beetle, so planting around cotton fields protects them from sucking insects. It serves as source of food and niche.

    • Other

  • Nightshade—breaks up hardpan, allowing roots to grow deeper.

    • References

    List of beneficial weeds Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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