Spouse is desperate to know what this plant is.

http://i5.tinypic.com/167nktv.jpg

It grew in our garden last year as a volunteer, we left it because it had
such an interesting form. this grows right at the edge of a trodden earth
path, next to a concrete block

The flower is tiny, just a few stamens. The leaf stems have a bluish bloom
which doesn't show on the picture. This specimen is about three feet high
(1m).
It seeded last year and there have been several seedlings which we've had to
pull out to plant vegetables.

It would be nice to know.

Mary

p.s. I tried sending this last night, my sent items box says it went but it
didn't appear on my ng screen. If this is a duplicate I apologise.

On 30/6/06 12:48, in article ,
"Mary Fisher" wrote:

Spouse is desperate to know what this plant is.

http://i5.tinypic.com/167nktv.jpg

It grew in our garden last year as a volunteer, we left it because it had
such an interesting form. this grows right at the edge of a trodden earth
path, next to a concrete block

The flower is tiny, just a few stamens. The leaf stems have a bluish bloom
which doesn't show on the picture. This specimen is about three feet high
(1m).
It seeded last year and there have been several seedlings which we've had to
pull out to plant vegetables.

It would be nice to know.

Mary

p.s. I tried sending this last night, my sent items box says it went but it
didn't appear on my ng screen. If this is a duplicate I apologise.



It's a wild Euphorbia which, IME, never comes to much. It's the one they
call caper spurge, I think (Euphorbia lathyrus). But don't try pickling
those seeds!

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(email address on website)

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 30/6/06 12:48, in article
,
"Mary Fisher" wrote:

Spouse is desperate to know what this plant is.

http://i5.tinypic.com/167nktv.jpg

It grew in our garden last year as a volunteer, we left it because it had
such an interesting form. this grows right at the edge of a trodden earth
path, next to a concrete block

The flower is tiny, just a few stamens. The leaf stems have a bluish
bloom
which doesn't show on the picture. This specimen is about three feet high
(1m).
It seeded last year and there have been several seedlings which we've had
to
pull out to plant vegetables.

It would be nice to know.

Mary

p.s. I tried sending this last night, my sent items box says it went but
it
didn't appear on my ng screen. If this is a duplicate I apologise.



It's a wild Euphorbia which, IME, never comes to much. It's the one they
call caper spurge, I think (Euphorbia lathyrus). But don't try pickling
those seeds!

Thank you for that - but we think it's a fascinating plant, he wouldn't have
me pull it out.

I'll tell him, he'll be pleased.

Mary

My mother-in-law says if you have spurge growing you won't get moles. Something I am unable to prove as we don't have any moles.

"trin" wrote in message
...

My mother-in-law says if you have spurge growing you won't get moles.
Something I am unable to prove as we don't have any moles.

I think we should call it elephant spurge!

I'd love to have moles ;-(

Mary


--
trin

"Mary Fisher" wrote in message
t...

"trin" wrote in message
...

My mother-in-law says if you have spurge growing you won't get moles.
Something I am unable to prove as we don't have any moles.

I think we should call it elephant spurge!

I'd love to have moles ;-(

Mary


--
trin


Is that to go with the warts on your nose you old witch:-)
Sorry momentary lapse got you mixed up with The Life and Loves of a
She-Devil. Mary fisher (Pat Hodge) was the pretty one.

On Fri, 30 Jun 2006 15:48:32 +0000, trin
wrote:

My mother-in-law says if you have spurge growing you won't get moles.
Something I am unable to prove as we don't have any moles.

This has come up before. I was told it would deter moles, and at that
time I had moles on my allotment, and the caper-spurge was self
seeding. The moles just went round it!
Then I heard on GQT that it was as a remedy for moles on the skin
which gave it it's name, "mole plant". It seems logical that it's sap
might have been used this way.
If you disagree, as someone did before, take it up with GQT!
Incidentally, I have no moles on the allotment now, but no
caper-spurge either!

Pam in Bristol

I garden in Frenchay, Hello neighbour.
Our neighbours have moles (other side of a road) and MIL offered the spurge remedy which they tried and it failed dismally. Our new plot has lots of the stuff growing. We bought the land from them and I think they must have discarded the old plants there in disgust at the dismal failure and they are sprouting like mad.
Thank you everyone who has warned about the allergy risk. I'll make sure I'm careful when I weed them out.

"Pam Moore" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 30 Jun 2006 15:48:32 +0000, trin
wrote:

My mother-in-law says if you have spurge growing you won't get moles.
Something I am unable to prove as we don't have any moles.

This has come up before. I was told it would deter moles, and at that
time I had moles on my allotment, and the caper-spurge was self
seeding. The moles just went round it!
Then I heard on GQT that it was as a remedy for moles on the skin
which gave it it's name, "mole plant". It seems logical that it's sap
might have been used this way.
If you disagree, as someone did before, take it up with GQT!
Incidentally, I have no moles on the allotment now, but no
caper-spurge either!

Perhaps warts were meant, rather than moles? Several plant saps have been
used to 'cure' warts.

Mary

Pam in Bristol

Mary Fisher wrote in message
t...

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 30/6/06 12:48, in article
,
"Mary Fisher" wrote:

Spouse is desperate to know what this plant is.

http://i5.tinypic.com/167nktv.jpg

It grew in our garden last year as a volunteer, we left it because it
had
such an interesting form. this grows right at the edge of a trodden
earth
path, next to a concrete block

The flower is tiny, just a few stamens. The leaf stems have a bluish
bloom
which doesn't show on the picture. This specimen is about three feet
high
(1m).
It seeded last year and there have been several seedlings which we've
had
to
pull out to plant vegetables.

It would be nice to know.

Mary

p.s. I tried sending this last night, my sent items box says it went
but
it
didn't appear on my ng screen. If this is a duplicate I apologise.



It's a wild Euphorbia which, IME, never comes to much. It's the one
they
call caper spurge, I think (Euphorbia lathyrus). But don't try pickling
those seeds!

Thank you for that - but we think it's a fascinating plant, he wouldn't
have
me pull it out.

I'll tell him, he'll be pleased.

Mary


It can leave a nasty burn on the skin if you get the sap on you and don't
wash it off right away.

"fenwoman" wrote in message
...

It's a wild Euphorbia which, IME, never comes to much. It's the one
they
call caper spurge, I think (Euphorbia lathyrus). But don't try
pickling
those seeds!

Thank you for that - but we think it's a fascinating plant, he wouldn't
have
me pull it out.

I'll tell him, he'll be pleased.

Mary


It can leave a nasty burn on the skin if you get the sap on you and don't
wash it off right away.

So I understand from various websites - having learned the name.

To date it hasn't had any effect on either of us but we haven't cut it so
haven't been in contact with the sap. It seems pretty tough :-)

Mind you, several plants are reputed to have that effect but don't with us.
The only thing which causes irritation with me (apart from nettles of
course) are tomatoes. I deal with mine every day and have learned to wash my
hands and arms thoroughly immediately afterwards. Spouse reacts very
seriously to propolis but I don't.

We had no intention of trying to eat the seeds. The hens ignore it too.
There must be something instinctive ...

Mary

It can leave a nasty burn on the skin if you get the sap on you and don't
wash it off right away.

So I understand from various websites - having learned the name.

To date it hasn't had any effect on either of us but we haven't cut it so
haven't been in contact with the sap. It seems pretty tough :-)

Every time I see this plant mentioned I tell peeps to be careful, I
have had two bad reactions to the sap and still have the scars to prove
it

kate

"fenwoman" wrote
It can leave a nasty burn on the skin if you get the sap on you and don't
wash it off right away.

I don't seem to react to it at, but found this at
http://www.the-tree.org.uk/Enchanted...aperspurge.htm


As so often Mrs. Grieve has some interesting information for us on this
plant, including The use of Spurge Laurel by beggars to produce sores:
"Has a milky juice of an acrid nature. Its seeds yield an abundance of fine
clear oil called oil of Euphorbia; this is obtained by expression or by the
action of alcohol or ether, and is colourless, inodorous, and almost
insipid; it rapidly becomes rancid, and acquires a dangerous acrimony. The
oil is a very violent poison, producing violent purgation and having an
irritating effect upon the mucous membrane of the intestinal canal, and
especially on the larger intestines; the oil resembles croton oil. In doses
of 5 drops it is said to be less acrid and irritating than croton oil; it
must be recently extracted. The seeds to the number of twelve or fifteen
are used by country people in France as a purgative.
The root of the plant is equally purgative and emetic; the leaves are
vesicant and are used by beggars to produce ulcers by which to excite pity;
the juice is depilatory; the seeds contain aesculin in the free state."

Jenny

"JennyC" wrote in message
...

"fenwoman" wrote
It can leave a nasty burn on the skin if you get the sap on you and don't
wash it off right away.

I don't seem to react to it at, but found this at
http://www.the-tree.org.uk/Enchanted...aperspurge.htm


As so often Mrs. Grieve has some interesting information for us on this
plant, including The use of Spurge Laurel by beggars to produce sores:
"Has a milky juice of an acrid nature. Its seeds yield an abundance of
fine clear oil called oil of Euphorbia; this is obtained by expression or
by the action of alcohol or ether, and is colourless, inodorous, and
almost insipid; it rapidly becomes rancid, and acquires a dangerous
acrimony. The oil is a very violent poison, producing violent purgation
and having an irritating effect upon the mucous membrane of the intestinal
canal, and especially on the larger intestines; the oil resembles croton
oil. In doses of 5 drops it is said to be less acrid and irritating than
croton oil; it must be recently extracted. The seeds to the number of
twelve or fifteen are used by country people in France as a purgative.
The root of the plant is equally purgative and emetic; the leaves are
vesicant and are used by beggars to produce ulcers by which to excite
pity; the juice is depilatory; the seeds contain aesculin in the free
state."

That's fascinating! Thank you,

Mary

Jenny

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 30/6/06 12:48, in article
,
"Mary Fisher" wrote:

Spouse is desperate to know what this plant is.

http://i5.tinypic.com/167nktv.jpg

It grew in our garden last year as a volunteer, we left it because it had
such an interesting form. this grows right at the edge of a trodden earth
path, next to a concrete block

The flower is tiny, just a few stamens. The leaf stems have a bluish
bloom
which doesn't show on the picture. This specimen is about three feet high
(1m).
It seeded last year and there have been several seedlings which we've had
to
pull out to plant vegetables.

It would be nice to know.

Mary

p.s. I tried sending this last night, my sent items box says it went but
it
didn't appear on my ng screen. If this is a duplicate I apologise.



It's a wild Euphorbia which, IME, never comes to much. It's the one they
call caper spurge, I think (Euphorbia lathyrus). But don't try pickling
those seeds!

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(email address on website)


Was not this the plant that David Poole mentioned as illustrating the
North/South divide? Up here it's supposed to be biennial and in the south an
annual.
I am surprised you find the thing never comes to much. As the picture shows
it is quite an unusual and strange beast. Did you mean the flowers are
insignificant or is this the one thing we Northerners grow better you:-)