I've always had this weed in my garden but since it sprawls flat, is sparse leaved has only a thin central root that pulls easily from damp ground I pretty much ignored it. Taller plants don't seem to mind sharing the ground with it. The flowers are tiny and insignificant and come where the leaf joins the wiry stem.
Recently however I discovered that my rabbits love it and would like to look up the feed value on it if I knew what it was. Anybody know?
OH boy, that pic isn't as clear as I thought it was. If no one recognizes it I'll crop it to show a portion of it larger.
I resized it. This pic should be clearer
Common (prostate) knotweed is what it is. Thank you. Apparently it has a relative Japanese knotweed which is an invasive pest weed that was accidentally imported. Now if I can only find a site that gives its food value to rabbits I'm all set.
It grows in cracks in concrete and asphalt. During some weeks of the year, the English sparrows flock together on asphalt parking lots and streets and eat, what I assume, are the knotweed's seeds.
Hoodat, if you do a google search of Polygonum aviculare feed value site:edu - you will see somewhat of a random accounting of it in the diets of wild birds from Bob White quail to tree sparrows to Hungarian partridges.
I didn't see anything about its actual "food value" but it is obvious that wild birds make good use of it .
I did run across some references to cottontails and mule deer eating it so I guess it can't hurt my rabbits. Usually rabbits can detect the desirability of a plant from smell or the first taste and reject plants that are bad for them. I think rabbits are closer to their wild cousins than most other domestic animals.
If you ever find a place this plant WON'T grow let me know. It grows everywhere from swamps to deserts and seems to thrive on being trampled underfoot. In fact it loves compacted soil like a well used path and cracks in the sidewalk are home sweet home. I'm glad I finally have a name for it.
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