Q: I have two problem plants which seem to send shoots up from nowhere. They appear in the lawn near our fence line but there are no similar plants in the vicinity, on either side of the fence. I'm wondering what they are and how I can stop them constantly shooting up through the lawn.
The first problem plant has shiny, serrated leaves with reddish new growth and though I never let it grow large it seems to be "bushy". The second plant is the worst offender as it appears more frequently, seems to grow really quickly and sends up long shoots of around 1m. It has pale reddish new growth and a furry leaf. There is another larger plant at the opposite end of the garden which looks the same and has large arrangements of attractive pink flowers. I think they're the same but the suckers appear about 15m away from the main plant.
What are they and how I can stop them? Justin, Holland Park
A: The plant with the pink flowers is the Rangoon Creeper (Quisqualis indica), and the other plant shown against the timber fence is a young plant of the same species. This is a very attractive creeper and trained along the fence will give you a good display of flowers every spring.
The plant with the serrated leaves is Ochna (Ochna serrulata). This plant is a ‘declared weed’, and has a very deep root system. Constantly cutting it back will not kill it. Both plants may be got rid of with repeated sprays of glyphosate.
