Is this a weed?

[AnSionnachGlic]

This plant has spread rampant through my flower beds and pots. Is it a random self seeding plant or a weed? Do I need to dig it out?

Yes,it's a weed. I spent a large portion of yesterday afternoon removing it from my garden.

Oh thank you......Will get working on it tomorrow. With the mild, wet weather we've had, it is rampant at moment. It seems to have spread everywhere over last month😩

Looks like an amaranthus ?

Redshank, Persicaria maculosa, wild relative of all the garden Persicarias. Whether it’s a weed depends on whether you want it growing there. There’s no fixed definition of weed, it depends on the individual. I regard Alchemilla mollis as a weed; other people pay good money for it.

it’s in a different family from Amaranth.

Yes, did some research and it looks similar to this..pale smartweed. I think I'll have to dig it out as it's taking over some pots and section of garden so other plants are being smothered.

Download the app picturethis, tells you what plants are in seconds!

@greentree16, plant id apps are a useful tool, but far from perfect and often misidentify things in the most spectacular manner! I would never rely on them for a positive id, but they can give a starting point for further research into identifying a botanical specimen. Personally I have found 'google lens' more accurate than 'picture this', but with the same caveats about not taking its identifications as being 100% accurate

None of the AIs are likely to beat @MereDintofPandiculation any time soon!