What differentiates a weed from a flower? Is it botanical or just human choice?

Answer 1

I think it is mostly completely human defined. I have seen some pretty flowers on weeds.

Answer 2

Some weeds are flowering plants and some some flowers are weeds.

Weeds are just plants that are in the wrong place at the wrong time i.e. not cultivated. They tend to grow fast and may have lots of seeds that are distributed widely e.g. dandelions.
Some weeds creep on the surface and others have roots that go for many metres under the surface.

Some plants were brought in from other countries intentionally to cultivate but, with no natural ways of controlling them, were later regarded as weeds e.g. Japanese Knot-weed and Rhododendron.

There is no botanical distinction; it's just a human idea.

Answer 3

Mostly human choice.

A rose can be a weed if you do not want it where it is growing.

Some plants have certain parasitic plants that attack them. Certain trees are killed off by vines that grow on them and use up their resources and finally block the sun from reaching their leaves. In this case, you have no choice about whether or not the vine is a weed. You do not want it around if you want to keep your tree alive.

So, some weeds are by choice and other weeds are by botanical and biological factors.

Answer 4

The definition of a weed is an unwanted plant. Some people look at dandelions in their yard and see a "weed", others see a pretty little flower. It's all a matter of prospective.

Answer 5

My Father was a gardener and he told me what I think is the best description of what constitutes a weed: Any plant that grows where you do not want it to. So, a rose in an onion patch would be classed as a weed.

Yes, human choice.

Answer 6

A weed is a plant that is growing in a place that we don't want it to grow. A beautiful carnation growing in a row of radish is a weed. Weed- - - an unwanted plant.
Some plants have the word "weed" in their common name. The very beautiful asklipia tuberosa is known as butterfly weed.
Joe pye weed is another.
One botanist defined a weed as - - - a plant for which we have not yet found a use.

Answer 7

A weed is a plant that is growing where it is not wanted, it can have strong and healthy growth, and is able to overgrow valued plants by overcrowding, thus depleting soil nutrients and moisture that would otherwise be available to preferred plants.


Dandelions are considered a weed. They are not native to North America. People from the old world. mainly Italians, brought it here for their gardens. It gave them chicory to drink, various medicines, and was the first tasty available green for salads in the spring. Now we kill it.

Most of the beautiful flowers that grow wild are weeds. But can you imagine America without its fields of foxglove, lavenders, cornflowers, ... all once considered weeds.

Answer 8

A weed is a flower or vegetable with low self esteem

Answer 9

Human judgment. A weed is defined as any plant considered undesirable, unattractive, or troublesome, especially one growing where it is not wanted, as in a garden.

A rose growing in a corn field is considered a weed. A corn stalk in a flower garden is also a weed. A violet plant in a manicured lawn is also a weed. Grass of most kinds are not included in a flower garden.

Wild flowers in a cultured flower garden are generally unwanted. But they are appreciated in a garden of "Wild flowers".

Answer 10

Plants which are intentionally grown in fields and gardens are called cultivated plants. All other plants which are not supposed to be there and grow unwanted, are called weeds. A weed is therefore a plant growing "in the wrong place".

Answer 11

A weed is an unwanted flower