Can anyone help me identify whether this is a weed or a baby seedling?

<p style="line-height: 15pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #333333; font-size: 10pt;">Hello everyone, I'm quite new to gardening and last year I planted something out but I can't remember what. In/near where I planted it lots of little seedlings have come up, and I'm not sure if they are weeds or babies of the plant from last year. <p style="line-height: 15pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #333333; font-size: 10pt;">Please can someone advise me if these are weeds, or if they are precious seedlings, and if they are seedlings, what are they?! (I know that I have some Aquilegia in the corner of the photo) <p style="line-height: 15pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #333333; font-size: 10pt;">Thankyou so much, <p style="line-height: 15pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #333333; font-size: 10pt;">Rachel <p style="line-height: 15pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #333333; font-size: 10pt;">

Some of it looks like  Rudbeckia .

Oooh! How exciting -thankyou! I don't remember planting that, but I did plant a few plants out. This will teach me to pay a bit more attention to what I plant out.

Thankyou for your help -greatly appreciated.

Rachel

Are we all convinced that this is Rudbeckia? It might be; but I'm not sure.

I have some Rudbeckia seedlings coming up (from packet seeds), and the leaves look much furier, and less glossy.

Are we suggesting that these are self-sown seedlings? I've never found Rudbeckia to self-seed in my garden (though some peope may find that it does).

If it's an existing clump, from last year, then wouldn't there be more old dead wood sticking up from the clump?

May we have a second opinion please?

Thanks Gary for that seed of doubt! It's true that I don't remember planting any Rudbeckia, so I'm definitely open to opinions from those more experienced than I!

Yes, the seedlings are self-sown, and are definitely grouped over about a 40cm area, but are nowhere else in the garden. So it would seem likely to be a self-sown flower rather than a weed, but I have so many weeds in my garden that I wouldn't put it past a cunning weed to try and sneakily pretend to be a flower!!

In answer to the 'old dead wood' comment -I don't remember there being anything dead looking there, but I have just blizted the garden in a frenzy of weeding and might have pulled it up. I wouldn't have pulled anything vaguely flower like up though, and don't think that I pulled up anything more substantial than lots of stinging nettles, couch grass and other small weeds.....

Thanks again for all your comments. It's very helpful,

Rachel

Gary I am happy for second and third opinions. I have a Green Wizard Rudbeckia and the leaves are similar, very different from the Cherry Brandy. I will take a photo when it stops raining.

These seedlings looking nicer than weeds.

Yes, I am a Cherry Brandy fan.

Cherry Brandy as in a liqueur?!

On a more serious and planty type of note, I didn't realise that different varieties of the same plant would have such different leaves, although I feel a bit daft for not having realised it before.

I'd love to see your photos Kate, to see how well they match up to mine.

Thanks again....

Cosmic girl I have not seen Cherry Brandy in years, do they still make it? 

I am still trying to find the difference betweeen Rudbeckias and Echinaceas.

Yes, cherry brandy liquor is still made!! Have never panted a rudbeckia with that name, and I must say the leaves on mine are somewhat harier than these in the photo - but it does look as if it ought to be something wanted rather than weedlike - on what basis I could not actually say!!  

I totally agree. It looks like a plant growing with pride and purpose, rather than a furtive looking weed! I left them in the ground as they looked like they were on a mission for good rather than ill!

I think that I did plant echinaceas last year, but can't remember which type.

Would another photo help?

Cherry brandy -yummy!.......

 This is my Green Wizard Rudbeckia, not the same as yours but different from other Rudbeckias.

cosmic_girl wrote (see)

Cherry brandy -yummy!.......

Another Rudbeckia in the beverage series is Cappuccino.

Cappuccino has even warmer colours than Cherry Brandy, and has 6inch blooms. This is a snap from last year:

Actually, I do prefer Cappuccino to Cherry Brandy.

I don't think those little plants can be Rudbeckias, of any variety.

If they are weeds, then the chances are that there should be plenty more, just like them, elsewhere in the garden. If they are all in one spot, then it might appear as though one plant has shed them, or it's new growth from one old plant.

I have some Echinaceas. The leaves are shininer than Rudbeckia, but tend to be pointed. I wouldn't have said those little plants were Echinacea (though they could be).

If you happen to have a photo from last year, you might be able to see what was growing on that spot.

Gary lovely flower, how big is the plant?

Hi CG,

they look extremely like my echinacea plants (except mine have been decidely chewed by slugs).

Wow, Gary that flower is amazing!! You must have been very proud. Thanks for uploading a picture.
Kate -thanks for uploading the photo of the leaves too. Yours seem a bit more pointy than the mystery plant in my garden. I'm not sure if they're the same or not...

I'm thinking that I might just pot several up, and see what happens to them. If, by summer, they have flowered I'll post back with a photo to see what has appeared.

In the meanwhile, please feel free to give me some more suggestions!

Rachel

kate1123 wrote (see)

Gary lovely flower, how big is the plant?

The Cappuccinos got to about the size of a dahlia. I grew them from seed, and am doing the same again this year. I actually noticed some plants for sale in my local GC last weekend. So I bought a couple. Just can't have too many.

I have some Echinacea coming up. But mine have narrower, strapier, more pointed leaves, than the mystery plant.

Could the mystery plant be mint? You can easily tell by taking a look at the roots. If the plants are invidividual seedlings, then it's not mint. If they are all connected by long runners just beneath the surface, then it might be. Try to pot one up and you'll find out.

My Cherry Brandy Rudbeckia plugs are quite furry, so I really don't think it's them.  I have some Echinachia coming up, which looks very similar to your sprouting plant.  It's pink, but I can't remmber the exact name.  I'll try to remember to take a look and come back to you.  Might be wrong though

Yvie