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Mystery Plant ID

Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 6:17 am
by Millymollymandy
If you remember, my mum brought me over 3 teeny little bits of comfrey in June, one of which turned out to be something completely different. I've finally got round to taking some photos and wonder if anyone recognises it and whether I am cultivating a weed or not. If not I guess I could send a print out to my mum who'd probably recognise it!
Comfrey.jpg
Comfrey.jpg (97.24 KiB) Viewed 3775 times
And this is a closer up of the mystery plant, but you'll need to click on it as you can see it better that way.
Mystery plant.jpg
Mystery plant.jpg (149.53 KiB) Viewed 3034 times
I'm assuming the two others ARE comfrey!

Re: Mystery Plant ID

Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 7:29 am
by Shirley
not sure - the mystery plant looks more comfrey-ish to me

Re: Mystery Plant ID

Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 8:24 am
by Odsox
Looks exactly like my comfrey.
I could take a photo of mine later if you like.

Edited to say that the other two don't look anything like my comfrey, so you could have two varieties ... or the others are the interlopers.

Re: Mystery Plant ID

Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 8:54 am
by John Headstrong
yep, I agree, the 'mystery plant' is comfrey

it is the other 2 that are the mystery :scratch:

Re: Mystery Plant ID

Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 9:22 am
by Odsox
Here's a picture of one of my comfrey plants.
Interestingly it's the one I scalped about two weeks ago to make up another batch of comfrey tea.
Just shows you how fast it grows when you take it out of it's flower pot.
This one is Russian Comfrey by the way .........
Comfrey.jpg
Comfrey.jpg (106.43 KiB) Viewed 3710 times

Re: Mystery Plant ID

Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 9:28 am
by Odsox
Just looked at your other two plants MMM and they look very much like some sort of Primula to me.
It's too early for a common primrose to have that much growth in August, but could be some other variety.
Does your Mum have any candelabra primulas in her garden, they like to grow in moist places just like comfrey.
Time will tell of course when or if they flower. :flower:

Re: Mystery Plant ID

Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 9:29 am
by Shirley
can we get a close up of the leaves on the other two please M3 - they look kind of spiny.

Re: Mystery Plant ID

Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 11:01 am
by Millymollymandy
But we discussed all this on my comfrey thread - that comfrey leaves are spiky and can give you a rash. :( :( :( The other plant isn't spiky at all.

Anyway how silly - I have been repotting these other horrible spiky things thinking they were the comfrey yet not bothering with the 'weed'. :roll:

Odsox mum's comfrey isn't growing in a moist place, it's growing on a grassy bank. Her garden isn't particularly moisture retaining either, though not mega dry like mine :( And no I don't think she has any of those primulas. :(

I'll have to take another photo of the spiky ones on macro - didn't know how to use it yesterday as it's my OH's fancy camera.

I'm really pissed off!

Re: Mystery Plant ID

Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 11:40 am
by Millymollymandy
Same photo but click on it for a better view of the spiky leaved plants.
Spiky plants.jpg
Spiky plants.jpg (224.05 KiB) Viewed 3034 times
The leaves are really nasty and have like little spiked hooks all over them. I've googled and googled but can't find anything of the primula family with spiky leaves like this. :(

By the way my neighbour gave me a 'different' primrose (her words) and it flowered a few weeks ago and is a kind of mini cowslip. So they don't all flower at the right time of year! :lol:

Re: Mystery Plant ID

Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 12:46 pm
by jampot
i agree osdsox the others look very much like primrose (primula)

Re: Mystery Plant ID

Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 7:36 pm
by Ron and Jean
could it be teasel?

Re: Mystery Plant ID

Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 8:25 pm
by Ron and Jean
I just found this image of teasel : http://www.co.stevens.wa.us/weedboard/o ... s/tsl1.jpg
It looks very similar. The other one does look like foxglove. Are the leaves slightly velvety.

I suppose you will find out in time.
lol

Re: Mystery Plant ID

Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2009 5:11 am
by Millymollymandy
Teasel :shock: :shock: :shock: that does look very much like the leaves - off to google it!

The other isn't a foxglove as I have them all over the place - it is I assume the comfrey as everyone said. It bloody better be!

Please let me have at least ONE comfrey plant!!!!!!!!!!!

And please will my mother go to the opticians!!! :lol: (not that I could tell the difference when they were all 1" tall!)

Re: Mystery Plant ID

Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2009 5:24 am
by Millymollymandy
Aaarrgh I think it is a teasel - well at least the birds will like them. :shock: :shock: :shock: I'm quite sure my mum doesn't have them in her garden but I expect they get weeded out.

Now I'd better go and repot my comfrey and start giving it some tlc and put those ratty leaves in the compost! :mrgreen:

Re: Mystery Plant ID

Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2009 7:12 am
by 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.