I have a herb growing. It looks like Nettle but it definitely isn't. I have lost the ticket I put near it. Can anyone help put a name to it? It has quite a pleasant taste - I tried a bit today, and it does not sting!
Both mint and lemon balm can look a little like nettles..... This is lemon balm
(http://www.wilsonsgreenhouse.ca/photos/plants/lemon-balm.jpg)
Probably Anise Hyssop. The packet I have also called it , American native mint. It really does look like a stinging nettle. Glad to help.
Thank you Petera and Jane,
I am familiar with Lemon Balm and have a bit too much of it.
It is Anise Hyssop which probably means that it had the name of the seeds on the little packet from the Hardy Plant Society, and that I had completely forgotten. There are a few plants in my garden from the mixed lot you can get from the HPS. These are the ones that come up easily. The ones I really really wanted failed to germinate.
It could also be shiso (parilla), which looks remarkably like nettles. However it has a very odd taste!
http://www.namayasai.co.uk/Shiso/shiso.htm
moonbells
I would be very jealous if it's shiso. :D Bought a packet of green shiso seeds this spring but none of them germinated! Got a replacement packet recently, they germinated this time but all the seedlings have odd true leaves, nothing like shiso. They don't have the fragrance of shiso either! Really upset I couldn't get any shiso :'(
There are so many things you can do with shiso. I love it in pasta (shiso is related to basil), noodle, tempura, salad etc. :P
When I read this thread,the first thing that came up in my mind was green shiso(perilla).It looks exactly like nettles as moonbells said.
http://www.plantnames.unimelb.edu.au/Sorting/Perilla_Gallery.html
By the way,it 's a small world,isn't it Tora?I didn't know you used this site as well ;)!
KT! Isn't it a small world! :o I joined A4A around February when I started the allotment. Can't believe I didn't know you were here until now! ::)
Feels strange to talk to you in English :D Hope to see you around on this board (am going to your site from now)! ;)
Quote from: moonbells on June 29, 2006, 21:16:59
It could also be shiso (parilla), which looks remarkably like nettles. However it has a very odd taste!
http://www.namayasai.co.uk/Shiso/shiso.htm
moonbells
It is remarkably like shiso but I believe it is definitely Anise Hyssop as, in the early stages of growth it looks nothing like the pictures of shiso.