Mystery Plant ID

[Shirley]

I'm jealous of your teasels - I LOVE them and would love to have one so that I could take photos of the magnificent flowers.

I did think your comfrey looked a bit like a foxglove in the first instance but fairly sure it's comfrey. Time will tell.

[Millymollymandy]

We'll find out next year as teasel is a biennial but I did check the underside of the leaves and they are exactly like this which I found on the net:



Now just have to decide where to plant them!

[Odsox]

We'll find out next year as teasel

Of course if they are teasels you will have to take up spinning and weaving in your spare time

[Millymollymandy]

WHAT spare time??? Yeah already had THAT joke from my hubby!

[MuddyWitch]

MMM
The healthy looking plants are teasles. Plant them somewhere away from your clothes line & then enjoy them. They make incredible plants and bees love them. When they've gone to seed the gold finches will love you.

MW

[Millymollymandy]

Thanks MW but what conditions do they like? Do I put them in a wild area slightly shaded where I won't get to water them (it gets very dry here) cos I don't really want to put them in a flower bed - or maybe I should if they need regular watering. Will they grow in ordinary garden soil (sandy) or do I give them compost? I wouldn't normally as they are wild plants but I've never seen any round here so maybe they aren't suited to my kind of dry sandy soil.

I can't wait to tell my mum what they are actually!

[MuddyWitch]

They have an endearing way of trapping all available water in the bases of their leaves, so don't need watering, at least I've never watered mine, even in hot, dry Summers (remember those?) My kids used to call them 'Mother Nature's water feature' when it rained, cos the water cascades wonderfully.

Mine self seed all over the place, even growing through the tatty tarmac on our drive. I doubt they will need compost, most weeds prefer poor soil. they make a huge mat of leaves in year one then send up several tall spikes of flower heads in year two.

I give the advice to keep away from the clothes line through bitter experience involving a much loved silk blouse, a teasle and blustery weather

I love them so much I'm potting some up to take with us when we move, (hopefully next Spring) They have a tap root but it's not huge, about a foot/30cm long in my experience. enjoy!

MW

[Millymollymandy]

OK thanks, I'll plant them out this autumn but in different places so they can self seed all over the place!

[Millymollymandy]

Finally got around to mentioning it:

"Mum, have you got any teasels in your garden?"

"Yes, I had two last year, aren't they lovely? But this year they self seeded ALL OVER THE PLACE!"

Well that's that mystery solved!

My comfrey is looking 10 times better (and a lot bigger) than in that photo since I repotted it, but still haven't found a place for the poor teasels yet!