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Gardening

another mystery plant.

(42 Posts)
Fennel Sun 18-Aug-19 10:01:40

Sorry no photo. In our front garden.
The plant starts as a rosette of large dark green fleshy leaves, Then several 2ft. tall stems, with many small thistle-like flowers with a green centre. But not prickly.
I think it was there last year, but only the leaves. I've searched online but could.t find it.

MiniMoon Sun 08-Sep-19 13:53:00

tickledpink, could your mystery flower be Geranium Robertianum? It has several common names, storksbill, red robin, death comes quickly to name a few, although it's not easy to make it out from your photo.

midgey Sun 08-Sep-19 13:35:42

Lots of nightshades are poisonous at some point.

Davidhs Sun 08-Sep-19 13:22:54

Tiny flower, is it a cultivated variety or a weed, apart from potato’s and tomatoes my nightshades are weeds

kircubbin2000 Sun 08-Sep-19 12:33:46

Ýoure right David, Nicandra or apple of Peru.It came from a NT garden and I grow the seeds every year. NT has not regrown it.

Davidhs Sun 08-Sep-19 11:18:55

My bet is one of the nightshade family not a common one but seeds are easily spread by birds

kircubbin2000 Sun 08-Sep-19 11:09:52

The flower.

kircubbin2000 Sun 08-Sep-19 11:05:30

Anyone know what this is?

Fennel Sun 08-Sep-19 08:54:37

The flower heads have turned blue now on ours, so looking more like sea holly.
They're not big enough for teasel.

MaizieD Tue 20-Aug-19 09:15:19

Teasels self seed like crazy so be ruthless with seedlings! However, birds love the seeds, so I leave the seedheads on. Mine grow to a good 4 - 5 feet tall and are viciously prickly on the stems and leaves. Perhaps Fennel has a tamer version. It's one of those plants that is on the cusp between weed/ornamental.

I think the plant growing through the buddelia is definitely a common wildflower/weed. I recognise it but don't know its name. It's not rosebay...

shysal Tue 20-Aug-19 09:01:47

Tickledpink, it is difficult to make out the plant in your picture, but could it be Rosebay Willowherb? They pop up here and there in my garden.

Grandmama Mon 19-Aug-19 19:38:47

Shysal: teasels have a line of sharp prickles on the underside along the central vein of the leaf. It's a biennial, flowers in the second year, the bees love the flower heads and the birds like the seeds afterwards. The Romans brought it over for teasing wool for spinning. They grow tall.

Ohmother Mon 19-Aug-19 19:16:41

Haven’t read all the thread so apologies if someone had said this.

There’s an App called PlantSnap. If you download it on a smartphone or an iPad you can take a photo and this App will identify your plant. It’s free.

HurdyGurdy Mon 19-Aug-19 19:04:16

Lindsay10 - I tried using google lens on the photograph you posted, and it has suggested March cinqufoil

HurdyGurdy Mon 19-Aug-19 19:00:57

Can I suggest that you use the app "Google lens". Just point the phone/tablet at the plant and Google will tell you what it is.

Really clever smile

Tickledpink Mon 19-Aug-19 18:58:55

Please could I join this discussion too! This plant behind the Buddelia looks like a weed, but has a thick woody stem. Does anyone know what it is? I have marked it in the photo.

maggie46 Mon 19-Aug-19 16:22:13

Answer to Fennel - if you eventually discover that your mystery plant is indeed knapweed, then beware! We have it in our wild/meadow garden, and were very happy at first, as it looks well when in flower - thistle-like without the prickles - and the goldfinches loved the seeds. But year on year there was more and more of it, to the extent that other desirable wild flowers were being crowded out. So, regrettably, we have started to fight against it, though I reckon it will be quite a battle! I note from comments on the internet about it, that it is actually "illegal" in parts of the US.
Sorry to anyone who has it in their garden - hope this hasn't been too down-heartening.

Fennel Mon 19-Aug-19 15:15:39

There are so many plant experts on here. I've been fascinated by botany since my teen years, for O level biology.

MiniMoon Mon 19-Aug-19 15:07:38

Marsh cinquefoil looks like your picture Lindsay10. It's a wild plant, probably self seeded in your garden.

Aepgirl Mon 19-Aug-19 12:43:12

I have recently downloaded the free App ‘Pl@ntNet’. Just take a photo of your mystery plant and it will identify it for you. Works every time.

missdeke Mon 19-Aug-19 12:26:00

OP I immediately thought of Sea Holly, I have some in my garden at the moment, Lindsay, yours could be creeping cinquefoil?

grandMattie Mon 19-Aug-19 12:19:08

Original plant is teasel. They are biennial, so you’ll have the prickly inflorescence next year.
Second plant? I think it’s a potentilla, but the weed variety!

Barnet Mon 19-Aug-19 11:32:49

There’s an app called Picture This available on Google Play Store. You just take a photo of the plant or flower and it’ll name it for you.

Nannan2 Mon 19-Aug-19 11:31:29

First pic looks like dock leaf.2nd pic is teasel(or early stages of thistle?)

maisie46 Mon 19-Aug-19 11:25:07

Lindsay10- Agree that is probably a potentilla. Very easy to grow from seed.

NemosMum Mon 19-Aug-19 11:17:28

Lindsay10 - that looks like a potentilla. Can be very pretty and come in shades of red, pink, orange and yellow.