Is This A Fuchsia or Weed?

Pamela F
by Pamela F
Can you tell me the name of this plant? I first thought it was fuchsias but my 9 year old told me that its weed, lol. So, I looked it up and the closest picture I could fine is Purple-Leaved Willow-Herb (Epilobium coloratum)...are they really. Just don't know. Thanks!
  24 answers
  • Walter Reeves Walter Reeves on May 19, 2012
    My standard first question: "Does it make you happy?"
  • Susan S Susan S on May 19, 2012
    Can't tell you what it is but I can tell you what it isn't and that's Fuchsia! Big help, I know!!! LOL And no, I don't think it's a weed either. Your 9 yr. old was probably pulling your leg and calls everything a weed!!
  • Pamela F Pamela F on May 19, 2012
    Yes Mr. Reeves, but I have clovers & weeds popping up and want to spray weed killer to keep them under control. Whatever these are, I use them as fillers for my garden because they spread and bloom. If they are weeds, I prefer to get rid of them and plant something worthwhile that won't suck up the nutrients from the other plants & shrubs. Do you know what they are called? Thanks so much to the both of you for responding.
  • Pamela F Pamela F on May 19, 2012
    I was just told that it is a Soapwort (Saponaria) Bouncing Bet...I am going too keep it. Will weeds killer kill them?
    • Becca Becca on Feb 20, 2015
      @Pamela F Weed killer doesn't know one plant from another. It will kill anything that it gets in contact with. Best to pull them, especially if you grow any edibles nearby. It's pretty no matter what the classification, I would love for it to grow in my yard. Plus we all need to take care of the bees and I'm sure they would love this. They love dandelions as well.
  • Erica Glasener Erica Glasener on May 20, 2012
    Your sops wort looks happy
  • Erica Glasener Erica Glasener on May 20, 2012
    Sorry I mean Soapwort.
  • Bernice H Bernice H on May 20, 2012
    chuckle@Erica! Even if this was a weed, it is pretty. but glad to know it is legit.
  • Judy Judy on Aug 20, 2013
    Pretty sure it's a weed but if you like it then keep it & yes, weed killer will kill it along with anything else in the flower bed that gets spray on it. It's better to pull the weeds in & near your flowers.
  • Achyhart Achyhart on Sep 05, 2013
    If you put a layer of paper or cardboard just under the top layer of soil, it will keep MOST if not all the weeds out of your flower bed and garden. Just leave holes open for the plants. .
  • Jenni C. Jenni C. on Oct 21, 2013
    These grow along the wall in our alley & give off a TON of seeds, so they end up everywhere in our yard. If I don't want them there, I just pull them out. No weed killer allowed in my yard!! They're pretty & the insects love them.
  • Jean K Jean K on Oct 26, 2013
    it looks a bit like flocks. Definitely not like the soapworts I have growing.
  • Linda Graham Linda Graham on Jan 29, 2014
    Pamela: It could be a Spider Plant also. A friend of Mine gave me a couple of these plants and the flower does look like mine. I will try to get you the Scientifictic name for it. It is a beautiful flower. I don't think it is a Weed. Linda Graham :
  • Brenda Goodall Brenda Goodall on Jan 30, 2014
    I think it's creeping myrtle! I have some of these! SPREADS quickly!
    • DORLIS DORLIS on Jun 09, 2015
      @Brenda Goodall not creeping myrtle! I have some and it is taking over the whole yard along with honeysuckle bush.
  • LeeAnn Gerleman LeeAnn Gerleman on Jan 20, 2015
    A weed is merely a plant that you do not want growing there. In Pueblo, Colorado, there was a college professor in biology, and he encouraged dandelions in his yard. his neighbors all had fits, but he said a weed is an unwanted plant and his were wanted. "you can make wine... you can make salad..." etc. His neighbors took him to small claims court, where he proved that his plants were not weeds. So if your plant is pretty and you like it, every plant we have now domesticated started out as a regular plant that does things for us, or looks pretty. I'd say as long as it doesn't take over, let it grow. =)
  • DORLIS DORLIS on Jun 09, 2015
    Joe Pye weed? Anyway, it is pretty so let it be to grace your garden.
  • Marilyn Marilyn on Jul 26, 2015
    Phlox
  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Jul 27, 2015
    phlox
  • Jeannette Jeannette on Sep 07, 2015
    It looks like it's in the vines family
  • Terrie Neudorf Terrie Neudorf on Sep 09, 2015
    Here it's a noctiuos weed .
  • DORLIS DORLIS on Sep 10, 2015
    could be soapweed
  • Linda T Linda T on Feb 02, 2016
    My dad always told me that plants in the same family usually had similar leaves, rather than flowers, so you need to photograph the leaves as well. Of course it's not always so. Look at the nightshade group. All star shaped flowers.
  • DORLIS DORLIS on Feb 03, 2016
    looks like wild phlox or something in that family, the flower shape is the same and wild ones (escaped from gardens) does come in pink.
  • DORLIS DORLIS on Feb 03, 2016
    as long as it is pretty and does not try to take over, I would let it be. If it starts to spread, cut off the spent blooms before seed sets.