white flowered Maryland shrub - what might it be?

tillie · August 30, 2009, 10:25:40 PM

I didn't have my camera so I don't have a picture. I'm in Cumberland, MD visiting my daughter and we walked a wonderful trail yesterday and today that is a rails-to-trails trail along a canal between Cumberland and Frostburg MD (and we walked it the other way as well - east and west of Cumberland).

All along the trail was a large shrub about 10 feet in spread and about 6 feet tall with these clusters of tiny white flowers that stood up like 6 inch white Christmas trees all over it. I think the leaves were sort of heart shaped.

There were bees on every flower - hundreds of bees - mostly honeybees, but also bumblebees, wasps, tiny other bees, a myriad of species that all found this sweet smelling shrub absolutely attractive.

Does anyone have any idea what this shrub is?

Linda T currently in Maryland (far from Atlanta)

Jim134 · August 30, 2009, 10:49:25 PM

Knotweed may be? or Japanese Bamboo?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_knotweed

BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)

tillie · August 30, 2009, 11:04:35 PM

Thank you, Jim 134, you are the best! That's exactly what it is....

Do you have it in MA? I haven't ever seen more bees on anything except a Linden tree at the farmer's market in Atlanta.

Linda T visiting in Maryland

Jim134 · August 30, 2009, 11:08:24 PM

Quote from: tillie on August 30, 2009, 11:04:35 PM
Thank you, Jim 134, you are the best! That's exactly what it is....

Do you have it in MA? I haven't ever seen more bees on anything except a Linden tree at the farmer's market in Atlanta.

Linda T visiting in Maryland

YES lot of it

BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)

tillie · August 30, 2009, 11:10:32 PM

I just did a search for it in Georgia and it is listed number one on the list of the 13 most offensive weeds in Georgia ahead, would you believe, of kudzu - which is of course number two!!!

Well, I'll have to look for it at home. People may not like it (Internet says it grows 4 inches a day) in its invasiveness but the bees sure do.

Linda T

reinbeau · August 31, 2009, 08:40:55 AM

Japanese knotweed, Polygonum cuspidatum, is a terribly invasive plant. You'll see it all over the highways and sides of side roads, the tiniest bit of root will turn into a field of it if it isn't controlled. Of course it's also a wonderful bee plant, it's a member of the buckwheat family.

Cindi · September 10, 2009, 11:03:18 AM

Jim, Ann, wonderful. (you, in particular Ann, I thought would reply to the thread with your vast knowledge of the horticulturally thingies). We have Japanese Knotweed growing like wildfire everywhere here too, they consider it invasive beyond invasive could possibly be. But well, well, we live with it, the bees surely do love it. Have that most incredibly wonderful day, to love and live, great health. Cindi

reinbeau · September 11, 2009, 07:54:36 PM

I was on my morning walk this morning (I'm trying to work myself back up to my 3.5 miler - I did 3 this morning finally!) and walked by a stand of blooming knotweed. It was absolutely humming with honeybees! Hundreds of them. I wonder if they were ours? :-D

Cindi · September 13, 2009, 10:43:54 AM

Ann, good, it sounds like you are recovering from your malade. Good to hear. Three.5 miles, wow!!! That is a long, long walk. Wish I had the guts and gumption to walk even 1 km. I probably traverse that amount daily on my property, doing work, but it is not the non-stop marathon (smiling) that should be done, meaning, walk, walk, walk. I think our knotweed should be blooming in our area too now, just haven't noticed. Have that wonderful day, to love and live, with best of health. Cindi