Plant Identification

There's some of that here too.

It is unlikely to be the sole source of pollen levels as these vary with time-of-year, temperature and location along with many other factors. Oilseed rape is a much bigger 'pollutant', for example, and happens earlier in the year. It's only the sex-life of plants.

The UK's Meterological Office publishes daily data on predicted pollen levels; check their website for more details.

I'm no Percy Thrower, but does this help ?

Just a by-the-by, but my understanding is that a 'weed' is simply a plant growing in an undesired place. In other words, searching for 'weeds' may not yield an answer.

PWSlack is quite correct - it's unlikely that your hay fever is down to just one single plant ot type of pollen. Still, it's worth trying to ID this and get rid of it (in an 'eco-nice' way).

One man's weed is another woman's flower.

Next time I get Mrs K flowers, It'll be dandylions .

Leaves look like many of the mint family. Could be catnip. What we have potted on the deck is just starting to bloom also. Flowers are white though. They can be many shades of purple also.

'Tis a Salvia........Verticillata ..........with mould

Looks like catnip....where's a cat when ya need 'em?

Del is probaly aware, but rolling all over the floor and salivating.

Yeah, that stuff's nasty....Go chemical warfare on it...

Look at Salvia microphilla at:

http://www.plantdelights.com/Salvia/products/334/2/0

I am fairly sure I met the plant in the mountains from time to time. Did not bother me at all, and I have to pay attention to hay fever. It is something, that comes and goes in your life.

Studying the weather office reports in detail will be fruitful. Here in the USA early february grass pollen was swept up from the Gulf of Mexico states (over a 1000miles), then in march southern yellow pine pollen dominated (same distance). The high level fast airflow circling the globe can do that, when it dips sharply south, then on the return path carries "stuff" along.

What you see is frequently not, what causes discomfort. By the way, using electrostatic air filters indoors sweeps the air free of the nuisance in short order.

You should be able to identify this positively using a botanical key or dichotomous key.

Here's an example that does UK wildweeds.

Google for others if that doesn't work.

The suggestions you have received so far will speed the process.

Enjoy!

Certainly looks like Catnip.

Apparently in the old days they used to give the executioner an infusion of this to give him the courage to do the dirty deed.

Found this out on a tour of Alnwick Castle poison garden.

So yes, powerful stuff!!

Turns you into an axe wielding homicidal maniac?

Some time before we knew about this, my wife had crystalised some of the flowers in sugar and used them to decorate some cakes for my wee sons birthday party.

If there had been some axes to hand then they probably would have been "axe wielding homocidal maniacs" !!

Who needs to buy sweets and drinks with all the wrong e-numbers when you can grow the stuff for free!!

....and then another weed in the kid's pizzas to counter the catnip.

..........and so it goes on!!

Best way to ID it is by the flower and cross reference it to a flower taxonomy book. Purple flower, number of petals in flower, arrangement of stems (opposite, whorled, or alternately), etc. I use Newcomb's wildflower guide. Its much harder on the internet or with just pictures. I use it a lot for the wetland delineations I've done. ww.realtimerendering.com/flowers/flowers.html

It looks like everyone hit on catnip/mint and this is because the entire mint family is large and consistent. You have a mint family plant.

None of the mint family is poisonous. All of them have square cross section stems, pairs of opposite leaves, and two-lipped clusters of flowers. Catnip, balms, mints, sages, nettles, oregano, basil, and the list goes on, are all members of this family.

The library here at UC Davis has an excelent Librarian who has been able to identify all but one plant pic I've sent her. Give the Library at UC Davis (California) a try.