Michigan woodland plant.... ID please?

[Maggi Young]

Folks, I've  been sent these photos, taken yesterday in Michigan by a friend seeking an ID for the plant.
Looks like a Filipendula to me  though the flower scape is not right for that.... Help, please??


Click on the pictures to enlarge them.....

[Maggi Young]

Here are two shots of the foliage and flower.....

[Stephenb]

Looks like Aruncus dioicus, Goatsbeard, one of the worst invasive woodlanders here (and it's also escaped in the US). It's blacklisted here, not sure if it's classified as a noxious weed in the US yet?

Here it is growing en masse near my house:

[Maggi Young]

Aruncus!
Yes, Stephen, I'm sure you are correct.....thanks for helping my addled brain.... I'll let my Michigan contact know....  


 The question came from Charles Peirce, who has this lovely website:
  http://homepage.mac.com/chpeirce/wildflowers/index.html

[TheOnionMan]

Looks like Aruncus dioicus, Goatsbeard, one of the worst invasive woodlanders here (and it's also escaped in the US). It's blacklisted here, not sure if it's classified as a noxious weed in the US yet?

Here it is growing en masse near my house:

Stephen, according to the USDA site, there are 3 varieties of Aruncus dioicus native to North America, and one introduced non-native variety, A. dioicus var. vulgaris.  I have a friend that allows the local native version to inhabit parts of his shady woodland, where he welcomes the flowers, but he does tell me that each year he must vigorously weed out lots and lots of unwanted self-sown seedlings.

http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=ARDI8

[alpines]

It's definitely Aruncus dioicus ...grows all over Kentucky too.

[Paddy Tobin]

It's definitely Aruncus dioicus ...grows all over Kentucky too.

Grows in Ireland too but behaves itself well. Peculiarly, my wife likes the flowers as they fade to a rusty brown, something I cannot understand and I am under strict instructions not to cut them off each year.

Paddy

[TheOnionMan]

It's definitely Aruncus dioicus ...grows all over Kentucky too.

Grows in Ireland too but behaves itself well. Peculiarly, my wife likes the flowers as they fade to a rusty brown, something I cannot understand and I am under strict instructions not to cut them off each year.

Paddy

I think I do understand, it is a plant that is gracefully senescent when passing out of flower.  It reminds me somewhat of Eremurus stenophyllus... where I really liked the effect of the bright yellow flowers going over to complimentary brown.

[Maggi Young]

It's definitely Aruncus dioicus ...grows all over Kentucky too.

Grows in Ireland too but behaves itself well. Peculiarly, my wife likes the flowers as they fade to a rusty brown, something I cannot understand and I am under strict instructions not to cut them off each year.

Paddy

I think I do understand, it is a plant that is gracefully senescent when passing out of flower.  It reminds me somewhat of Eremurus stenophyllus... where I really liked the effect of the bright yellow flowers going over to complimentary brown.

While I harbour a wish to grow old as disgracefully as possible myself, I have certain sympathies with plants that achieve that with some grace..... I draw your attention to a thread in the NARGS Forum (McMark knows it, already, of course) on the subject.... "Senescent with dignity! "
http://nargs.org/smf/index.php?topic=336.0

[TheOnionMan]

It's definitely Aruncus dioicus ...grows all over Kentucky too.

Grows in Ireland too but behaves itself well. Peculiarly, my wife likes the flowers as they fade to a rusty brown, something I cannot understand and I am under strict instructions not to cut them off each year.

Paddy

I think I do understand, it is a plant that is gracefully senescent when passing out of flower.  It reminds me somewhat of Eremurus stenophyllus... where I really liked the effect of the bright yellow flowers going over to complimentary brown.

While I harbour a wish to grow old as disgracefully as possible myself, I have certain sympathies with plants that achieve that with some grace..... I draw your attention to a thread in the NARGS Forum (McMark knows it, already, of course) on the subject.... "Senescent with dignity! "
http://nargs.org/smf/index.php?topic=336.0

Unfortunately there isn't much on that thread yet, really just a "starter" for what should become a most interesting topic. 

[Maggi Young]

Quite so, Mark.... well worth keeping an eye on!

[Paddy Tobin]

Mary regularly describes plants/flowers as "dies well" or "dies badly". She has promised me a good bottle of wine and the choicest spot on the compost heap when my time comes.

Paddy

[Stephenb]

Stephen, according to the USDA site, there are 3 varieties of Aruncus dioicus native to North America, and one introduced non-native variety, A. dioicus var. vulgaris.  I have a friend that allows the local native version to inhabit parts of his shady woodland, where he welcomes the flowers, but he does tell me that each year he must vigorously weed out lots and lots of unwanted self-sown seedlings.

http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=ARDI8

Thanks for the correction, Mark. I did do a quick check of the Plants Database, but only saw the variety vulgaris! Good to know it's not a problem over there! It was a common garden plant around here, in fact I know the garden it escaped from. I enclose another picture in a woodland nearby where it's dominating with the other local woodland invasive, Sycamore... I had a look in the Norwegian flora and it seems that which variety it is is unknown  - it has a wide distribution, also native in Central and Southern Europe.

I must also admit to growing Aruncus dioicus var kamtschaticus "Kneiffii" (second picture).

[Stephenb]

Aruncus!
Yes, Stephen, I'm sure you are correct.....thanks for helping my addled brain.... I'll let my Michigan contact know....  


 The question came from Charles Peirce, who has this lovely website:
  http://homepage.mac.com/chpeirce/wildflowers/index.html

You remembered the important thing - posting that link Just had a quick look at the pictures under Mertensia virginica -definitely somewhere I'd like to spend more time...

[Lesley Cox]

Mary regularly describes plants/flowers as "dies well" or "dies badly". She has promised me a good bottle of wine and the choicest spot on the compost heap when my time comes.

Paddy

I think that's very decent of her Paddy.