For some reason I find the Solanaceae ("nightshade") weeds quite ornamental. Maybe it's just their strong resemblance to deliberately-cultivated plants, such as pepper, potato, and tomato, also in Solanaceae, that makes me look at them differently from other weeds.
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| Physalis peruviana, Peruvian Ground Cherry or Cape Gooseberry. First cultivated by the Inca for its edible fruit, it's now widespread globally both as a weed and an appreciated garden plant. |
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| Solanum carolinense, Horse Nettle or Devil's Tomato. All parts are toxic due to the presence of solanine, which serves as a chemical pest defense. |
Of course when we consider that the definition of "weed" is situational, and in home gardens quite subjective, maybe to me they aren't weeds! It'd be interesting to see if good cultivation and some pinching could make a passable ornamental plant out of horse nettle, for instance.
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