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Produce => Non Edible Plants => Topic started by: debster on March 16, 2008, 17:25:17

Title: please identify these plants
Post by: debster on March 16, 2008, 17:25:17
could anyone tell me what these are? i hope they are bluebells cos they have Jeannines name on them lol ! ;D
Title: Re: please identify these plants
Post by: debster on March 16, 2008, 17:28:25
look at that mahoosive weed in the background of the first
Title: Re: please identify these plants
Post by: Garden Manager on March 16, 2008, 17:31:46
They look to me like Scillas, a type of bluebell, but not the nice native woodland ones. Probably Scilla hispanica the spanish bluebell. Nice enough flower but can be a bit invasive if you let it set seed.

The other thing it could be is some sort of hyacinth.

If you could give us more info, where they are growing, what sort of flowers (if you have seen them flower), etc that would help.

I would wait until others have seen the pictures and gven their opinion on what it is. Dont just take my word for it!

Hope this helps.
Title: Re: please identify these plants
Post by: barkingdog on March 16, 2008, 17:33:23
they look like Spanish Bluebells to me as well....and a Dandelion  ;)

bd
Title: Re: please identify these plants
Post by: debster on March 16, 2008, 19:30:56
they are growing in my garden along the edge of the veg patch, when we first moved in we were inundated with bluebells most of which we pulled up however Jeannine is looking for some and im kind of hoping these are them. i really dont remember what they looked like last year, i dont think i let them flower just pulled them up to make room for veg.
Jeannine if youre reading this please see what you think
Title: Re: please identify these plants
Post by: Fork on March 16, 2008, 19:32:45
They are defo bluebells Debs....I have them too
Title: Re: please identify these plants
Post by: star on March 16, 2008, 19:47:03
I agree. Mine are the same size  ;)
Title: Re: please identify these plants
Post by: debster on March 16, 2008, 19:52:21
thank you guys Hello Fork how are you long time no hear?

next question, Jeannine would like some what is the best way to dig them to post to her?
Title: Re: please identify these plants
Post by: Jeannine on March 16, 2008, 20:48:13
Well I haven't got a clue till they flower . I just thought bluebells were bluebells which is what I was looking for  just before winter, then you kindly offered me them and then  someone else offered me Spanish ones so me being greedy and loving blue flowers  accepted both.

When I was a kid we used to go to Bluebell wood and dig them up, I remember the foliage and it did look like this but I don't know if wood bluebells and Spanish bluebells foliage looks the same.

But then I did have some grape Hyacinths in Canada and I think they looked like that too. I am not much help.

Ask me about squash LOL, I can tell you anything about that!!

I seem to have caused you a big problem.

Sorry, and if it is too much I will understand.

XX Jeannine
Title: Re: please identify these plants
Post by: debster on March 16, 2008, 20:59:42
no you havent at all i will sort them and send them to you and we will see what happens ill also look elsewhere in the garden for some, you could end up with anything but its all part of the excitement  ;D
Title: Re: please identify these plants
Post by: Jeannine on March 16, 2008, 21:01:47
Thank you, if they are pernnial and are flowers I will love them, it's annuals I can't do.

XX Jeannine
Title: Re: please identify these plants
Post by: debster on March 16, 2008, 21:08:38
they definatly are they do their own thing every year with no help support or encouragement from me lol  ;D
Title: Re: please identify these plants
Post by: star on March 16, 2008, 21:43:15
Just to say Jeanine, the Spanish ones are very thuggish. Garden escapees are threatening the native Bluebell with their rampant growth and spread.

Just something to bear in mind ;)
Title: Re: please identify these plants
Post by: valmarg on March 16, 2008, 21:55:30
I should have to say they don't look like bluebells to me, bearing in mind we have a hedgerow full of them, and are certainly not that high at the moment.

valmarg
Title: Re: please identify these plants
Post by: star on March 16, 2008, 22:00:23
Which part of the country are you from Valmarg? I have bluebells coming up about the same size as the pics, mine are in the open a bit like Debsters. Maybe that makes a difference to the growth rate and wether you're north or south?
Title: Re: please identify these plants
Post by: Jeannine on March 16, 2008, 22:36:08
Bluebell thugs??Spanish thugs
Title: Re: please identify these plants
Post by: saddad on March 16, 2008, 23:18:31
You can always eat the dandelion... blanch it to reduce the bitterness and use sparingly unless you want to change the bedding!!
;D
Title: Re: please identify these plants
Post by: springbok on March 16, 2008, 23:22:23
Looking through my book, they look like hyacinth hispanica.

Jeannine think your right on this, looking it up Spanish bluebell.

:D
Title: Re: please identify these plants
Post by: Baaaaaaaa on March 16, 2008, 23:31:22
I consider these things weeds.

They look pretty for about two weeks in late May, but look awful for months after until they finally seed and the foliage dies off.

Best time to dug them up : Any - if your going to chuck 'em
                                           Late summer/early autumn if you want to send the white bulbs in the post.
Title: Re: please identify these plants
Post by: star on March 17, 2008, 00:43:19
Quote from: Jeannine on March 16, 2008, 22:36:08
Bluebell thugs??Spanish thugs

Sorry, the Spanish ones are the thugs, a bit like our native ladybird and the Harlequin.  :(
Title: Re: please identify these plants
Post by: Rosa_Mundi on March 17, 2008, 01:45:43
If you deadhead them the foliage will die off within a fortnight - they get most of the energy into the bulbs before they flower. The bulbs are almost unkillable, so don't worry too much whenever you dig them up, although after flowering is best. I would plant them straight away upon receipt - don't store them until autumn.
Title: Re: please identify these plants
Post by: Palustris on March 17, 2008, 08:28:16
These may well be some sort of bluebell, but until they actually flower, there is no way of distinguishing between native and  Spanish ones. Native blubells are always blue, never pink and the flowers are only on one side of the stem, Spanish ones have flowers all round the stem and may be any colour from pure blue to washed out pink. Hybrids may have a combination of these signs. There are other signs too, but these are the important ones.
Bluebells (Latin names have changed rather too often to keep up with) have 'naked' bulbs.  (Tulips and Narcissus have tunics) This is why they do not store that well dry. Also the depth of the bulb below ground can be staggering. We have gone down over 12 inches to try to eradicate some Spanish ones, so be warned.
Title: Re: please identify these plants
Post by: Hyacinth on March 17, 2008, 08:40:26
No more digging up our native English bluebells from the countryside, tho....think that had a ban put on it a few years ago? Jeannine, if you REALLY want Spanish thugs, you've had your offers ::)......

If, however, you'd like to stay true to your roots ;) I can send you some English 'bells from my garden 8).....

Lishka X
Title: Re: please identify these plants
Post by: Garden Manager on March 17, 2008, 09:41:47
I think the foliage of the native bluebell is much finer than the spanish one, by which I mean narrower leaves and more delicate looking. Less vigourous growing too. Thats why the spanish ones are such a problem, they are far more sucessfull and grow in more places than the british bluebell.

Strange i thought the big 'weed' in the background looked like either a young artichoke or a young cardoon! Now i look again I can see it is probably a dandelion or one of its close relatives.
Title: Re: please identify these plants
Post by: valmarg on March 17, 2008, 14:54:32
Quote from: star on March 16, 2008, 22:00:23
Which part of the country are you from Valmarg? I have bluebells coming up about the same size as the pics, mine are in the open a bit like Debsters. Maybe that makes a difference to the growth rate and wether you're north or south?

North Staffs, Alton (as in Towers). Star.

It certainly makes a difference how far north/south you are.  We used to travel to Chelsea Flower Show, and compared with here they were about a month to six weeks in advance.

I thought the leaves were a bit thicker than bluebell, and I thought they might be more like a species tulip I have in the garden.

Anyway, I await the pictures of the flowers with interest.

valmarg
Title: Re: please identify these plants
Post by: star on March 17, 2008, 15:04:05
You may well be right, I wait with anticipation to see it in flower too :D