Please name that weed

[Biased turkey]

Last year I collected some weed around the Canadien/Canadian National track down the street.
Could someone please tell me the English name for it ?
I would like to use that material for making trees on my layout, but I don't know how to do it.

Jacques

[MasonJar]

I don't know exactly what it is, but it looks good! Savez-vous le nom en français?

In any case, you want to look to see if it has a suitable branching structure for the tree you'd like to model. You might need to combine a few (bind with floral tape) to get the "branchiness" you want. You can also add additional branches (but not trunks) by gluing on more "tops". I have found a hot glue pot works well for this. You may or may not want to remove the seedheads from the tips of the branches.

Paint and/or add any trunk detail you want - caulking, lightweight spackle, grout have all been suggested as good trunk texturing materials. I like the spackle best, since the lightweight stuff remains a little flexible. Paint with a dark grey or even black. Spray bomb or airbrush works well, or you can dip or even brush paint if you have patience...!

Then tease out a few small puffs of poly fibre (black is best) - one for each major section of the tree. If you try to go for one big puff, it will not look right. The resulting fibre should be very light and airy - you will not need a huge clump to start.

Hit the upper branches wih some spray glue or cheap hair spray. Spray the puff too, making sure to coat it from all angles - but not too much. If the glue beads on the fibre, that's too much! Drape the fibre puff in place and dump some ground foam on it, shaking off the excess. Repeat with other puffs until the whole tree is covered. Touch up as required.

That structure also looks like it would make good fall/winter and/or dead trees, if needed.

Good luck!

Andrew

[Biased turkey]

Thank you Andrew for taking some of your valuable time to reply.
Unfortunately, I don't even know the French name for it.
I agree with you, it could make some nice fall or winter trees specially if I combine a few and add more additional branches.

Thanks for the additional tips, it gives me some more ideas.

Jacques

[scubadude]

"...it's a cross between Kentucy Blue Grass and Northern California sensimilla....." - Carl Spackler hock:

[Biased turkey]

"...it's a cross between Kentucy Blue Grass and Northern California sensimilla....." - Carl Spackler hock:

I spent 3 ( of the best ) years of my life in Lexington, Kentucky ( nice people there ) and the only time I saw any bluegrass was ... when I had too much Bourbon lol.

Jacques

[Spitfire]

Hi Jacques

It's kind of hard to tell without seeing it growing. I actually have a nice little book on the weeds of Canada.

When it was growing did it have a lot of little white flowers growing from a a cluster of tiny stalks? If so, I think it might be what's called "Queen Anne's Lace".

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Sure looks like it has great scenery potential!

Val

[Biased turkey]

Thanks Val for trying to help.
Unfortunately, it doesn't match the Queen Anne's Lace description.

I just remember that the weed turns purple in fall.
I tried to take 2 pictures of the whole weed ( about 1.5 foot tall ) 5 minutes ago using an incandescent lightbulb and the other with the flash but the result is crappy.
I'll take another picture in daylight and will post it tomorrow.

What's strange is that those weeds were collected in 2007, last year ( 2008 ) I went to exactly the same spot but couldn't find any of them anymore.

Jacques

[Biased turkey]

I took those 2 pictures in daylight.
I hope this will help someone to identify that weed.

Jacques

[Ralph]

Not sure about the English but I think the Latin name is "Modelias Aborealis"

Ralphus