Produce => Non Edible Plants => Topic started by: alanr on May 13, 2005, 22:41:42
Title: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: alanr on May 13, 2005, 22:41:42
We moved this to a pot coz it looked healthy (not much else did at the time!) and whilst we feel it may be a weed, does anyone know what it really is? Will it flower? Will it be worth holding on to?
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: Merry Tiller on May 13, 2005, 23:06:33
Looks like a lily
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on May 13, 2005, 23:20:17
What's the underground bit like? It looks like somethng which comes up on my allotment, but I've never really sorted out what it is.
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: Merry Tiller on May 13, 2005, 23:26:28
No, really, it is a lily
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: MagpieDi on May 13, 2005, 23:40:36
Sorry MT, but if those spreading bits at the bottom are attached to it, then it looks more like the weed called leafy spurge to me ! Alan, wait to see if it develops yellowy green bracts at the top of 3 ft stems !! ;) ;D
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: Merry Tiller on May 13, 2005, 23:42:49
I'll bet you a quid ;)
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: Garden Manager on May 13, 2005, 23:43:31
Looks to me too like a form of euphorbia (spurge). I had something similar come up in my garden a few years ago. I kept it thinking it looked nice. Little did i know it was busy seeding itself all over the garden and soon became problem weed no. 1. Just about got rid of it now though.
However I cannot be 100% sure this is what you have (it could wel be some gem worth keeping)
To check if it is at least a euphorbia, try removing a leaf to see if any of the white latex sap appears. If it does a) dont get it on your skin (irritant) and b) this confirms it as a euphorbia. If not then it is something i dont know and i cant help with.
Hope this helps
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: MagpieDi on May 13, 2005, 23:52:42
Sorry MT, but if those spreading bits at the bottom are attached to it, then it looks more like the weed called leafy spurge to me ! Alan, wait to see if it develops yellowy green bracts at the top of 3 ft stems !! ;) ;D
Not sure if those bits at the bottom are active or just wilted uprights. We'll wait a while longer before deciding its fate, if only to settle the bet ;D
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: greentapestry on May 14, 2005, 09:32:30
I think that what you have there is linaria purpurea ( purple toadflax ). If it is it has spikes of tiny purple flowers - quite pretty but and a big but - it seeds about everwhere. It does not need staking.
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: wardy on May 14, 2005, 09:44:17
Consider the lily ;D I'm with MT.
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: Andy H on May 14, 2005, 11:06:28
I have just read on another board that a cat died a horrible death because he brushed against some stargazer lillies and then proceeded to lick his fur clean. Apparently, the cat died of dehydration and of liver failure. I thought I would warn all cat owners to be vigilent with these flowers and maybe to ban them from their homes That was in Pets corner and I emailed a friend and she said a few years ago her cat died and the symptoms were the same. I think you have to be careful of all lillies with cats and dogs.....
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: honeybee on May 14, 2005, 18:58:09
I agree with greentapestry, i wasnt aware of the name but GW's description sounds perfect to me.
I have it in my garden, its a preety plant (with purple flowers ;D) but youve got to watch it from spreading, however it easily pulls up if you want to contain it.
Merry, i will gladly take a quid off you :D
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: honeybee on May 14, 2005, 19:11:00
Forgot to say, besides the purple flower, there is also a variety that can produce a whitish/pinkish flower too.
Will try and post a pic tomorrow.
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: Muddy_Boots on May 14, 2005, 19:34:00
With Garden Cadet here, really looks like Euphorbia, so many varieties, just couldn't possibly count. However, leaves and type of growth are fairly indicative. Won't flower as you expect, will have flowers which appear to be just a progress of the plant! But lovely to have in the garden! Height and structure and go on for ages!
AlanR, yours is definitely a euphorbia! I love the way they grow, with leaves changing colour and then the show at the top when they feel like it and, in between, they give height and background to other, showier plants! :D
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: Justy on May 14, 2005, 20:20:02
I'm in the Euphorbia camp! Had it all over my garden too.
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: Marianne on May 14, 2005, 20:30:57
Garden Cadet is RIGHT ! It is a type of euphorbia and takes over the whole of a garden ! So be warned .... :o ::) ;D
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: Merry Tiller on May 14, 2005, 21:01:14
I'm tellin' ya, it's a lily and NO, I am not willing to up the stakes ;D
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: honeybee on May 14, 2005, 22:31:32
Ive just checked out the name that green tapestry gave (linaria purpurea) and after googling that plant, the name she gave is wrong but her description of what this plant is, is spot on.
I have it growing in seven or eight different places in my garden, the stem is fairly tall and rather graceful and then it grows spikes of flowers with small purple buds on them.
From the image i can see why it might be mistaken for a lilly perhaps, but if you saw it in real life you would know for sure that it wasnt a lilly. Merry i could send you some if you wish ;D
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: lorna on May 14, 2005, 23:17:02
Oh for goodness sake you lot, will you flipping well make up your minds :) For the VERY first time when I saw the pic.. I said to myself I KNOW WHAT THAT IS IT IS A LILY, and now I have got to wait for the outcome and proof as to WHAT it is. Please put me out of my agony ::)
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: Roy Bham UK on May 14, 2005, 23:35:48
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: return of the mac on May 14, 2005, 23:49:27
Ive seen that growing at the side of a lane near my house- thought it looked very nice, always meant to take a pic and post it here. So i dont think theres any way a bulb could have gotten there or pushed through the gap in the tarmac. How about a poll to settle it? Can we start one in this thread or does alan have to start a new one for a poll?
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: BAGGY on May 15, 2005, 00:33:38
Roy - just let it lie will ya ? Let it lie ! ;D ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: alanr on May 15, 2005, 00:55:01
I will grant the plant some further time despite the dire warnings it could kill our cats (count of 2 at present and will keep an eye on them :)) and take over our garden (I will watch for roots coming out of the bottom of the pot).
But I think it deserves to live a little longer just to see what sort of flowers (if any) it produces, hoping as I do that this may silence the many voices and finally decide its identity once and for all.
So watch the pot folks!!! or I will, and when anything interesting develops, you can be sure I'll post another piccy!
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: Mrs Ava on May 15, 2005, 09:23:21
I am in the euphorbia or toadflax camp. I have a toadflaxxy thing growing outside our conservatory and it does look like that - grown from seed last year, and getting vast this! My sis has a euphorbia (I can't grow due to daughter and Avas terrible allergies) and it also looks kinda like that. AND I have 4 pots of lilly seedlings, and guess what, they do look like that, altho a lot smaller and weedy! ;D
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: honeybee on May 15, 2005, 10:42:15
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: Marley Farley on May 15, 2005, 13:57:41
;D Yes I'm in the euphorbia camp too. :) Have one that looks just like that & has a yellow flower. ;D
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: potato head on May 15, 2005, 21:28:32
Looks very like the linaria that I have growing in my garden, and in the garden walls. But that said, it does look considerably bigger than mine are and a bit less delicate. So I'm in the maybe linaria but I wouldn't bet my life on it camp. ;D
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: return of the mac on May 16, 2005, 18:02:16
check the root system- if it has a bulb its a lily (it wont have a bulb i bet ya)/ Im too impatient to wait, as you can tell.
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: Spurdie on May 16, 2005, 20:06:03
Have to agree with you, Honey Bee. Definitely a linaria. I have purple and pink varieties. Mine grow up to 4 ft tall, and yes, they seed themselves around!
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: Merry Tiller on May 16, 2005, 23:01:27
It's a lily I tell ya' Who'd put Euphorbia in a pot for goodness sake? :-\ Anyhow, I shall want proof before I part with my quid :P
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: return of the mac on May 16, 2005, 23:06:34
Its not a lily- the bet- is it a quid each youll be paying us or do we have to split it?
Im startin a poll
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: alanr on May 17, 2005, 00:18:37
Wow what a hot topic this has turned out to be so I feel it only my duty to keep you all informed.
We now have some flower heads developing as the enclosed piccy shows. Purple? or are we to be surprised?
The plant is drooping slightly as we forgot to water it for a few days, but worry not, its been recently watered and all stems are now upright again.
Will post again once the blooms are fully developed. Not sure if this influences any of the possibilities yet!
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: Garden Manager on May 17, 2005, 17:51:13
Have to admit that flower doesnt look like a euphorbia flower (unless you can get purple ones nowadays ;D). But neither though does it look like a lilly. :D :D :P
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: MagpieDi on May 17, 2005, 21:16:47
AHA !!! Lovely pics Alan, much easier to identify now !! ;) ;D
Merry Tiller, what about a quid on Gayfeather ( Liatris ) ?? ;) ;D
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: gillcat on May 17, 2005, 21:39:41
I have to come in on this now :)
I'm Alan's partner and suspense is killing me
Is it a weed????
please put us out of our misery :) :)
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: MagpieDi on May 17, 2005, 22:28:03
Hello there Gill :)
I'm really just guessing !! :D It's a few years since I had it in my garden, but Liatris is a genuine hardy perennial ! ;D Will leave it to the experts to decide. ;) Probably have to wait for the flower to open up, maybe with a fluffy, feathery pink top !! ;D
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: Garden Manager on May 17, 2005, 23:00:21
Hmm Liatris eh? Saw some liatris once, planted en masse in the praire borders at Wisley (different variety though). I have to admit quite an attractive plant and flower
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: Mrs Ava on May 17, 2005, 23:08:23
Could be, altho I have this in my front garden and it is a way off flowering yet!
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: Merry Tiller on May 17, 2005, 23:41:19
Fair enough, the cheque's in the post :-[
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: MagpieDi on May 22, 2005, 22:50:29
Hang on to that cheque MT !! ;) Mystery hasn't been solved yet !! We're still :-\ !!
Title: Re: Any ideas what this is?
Post by: maz on May 23, 2005, 06:27:39