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New weed on the block


JandM

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I'm looking for help with identifying something that's new to me.

Over the last couple of years I've been clearing our part gravel, part tarmac, part mud driveway of weeds with three-monthly doses of glyphosate. It's mainly worked - all the perennial stuff has gone, including the couch grass - and I can see the ground now.

However, a new weed has appeared that I've never seen before that has spread like wildfire across all the drive, the terracing and has even appeared in cracks in the walls.

Because I didn't have the wit to take a photo when I was there (I'm back in the UK now), I'll have to describe it: it's a succulent or semi-succulent, more or less prostrate, with pinkish-red stems about the thickness of a pencil that grow out like the spokes of a wheel. It has small rounded leaves and tiny yellow flowers. In all, it forms a low mound with a diameter of about 40 cms. It has a taproot about 15 cms long.

Anyone else got this, and any idea what it is, and why it has appeared so suddenly?

James
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I thought of japanese knotweed too Paul, hope it isn't.

It could also be purslane - look in Google. I would give the link but my links don't work on here.

It's very invasive, we have lots of it. The only positive thing about it is that it has shallow roots so is easy to pull up.

Supposed to be edible.

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Thanks all for the suggestions. Having looked up purslane, that's definitely what it is. Having now read up on it a bit, I do wonder if I should be poisoning it, rather than eating it - seems it's some kind of superfood. Lucky me.

I'm so glad it's not Japanese knotweed, which I'm well familiar with that from a previous garden. That plant will survive the nuclear holocaust along with cockroaches
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