Hi,

I found a strange plane growing in my garden, not sure if it's a weed
or not so left it for the moment.
Can anyone tell me what it is?

Thanks

Phil

http://www.flickr.com/photos/21280746@N02/2068854382/

In article ,
Phil writes:
|
| I found a strange plane growing in my garden, not sure if it's a weed
| or not so left it for the moment.
| Can anyone tell me what it is?
|
| http://www.flickr.com/photos/21280746@N02/2068854382/

Almost impossible to tell until it flowers. It's almost certainly
one of the Umbelliferae, but that leaf shape isn't rare in them.
Nor are purplish stems. Somone may well be able to make a good
guess, but that's all it can be - I can't.

It's probably a wild plant :-)


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On 27 Nov, 14:00, (Nick Maclaren) wrote:
In article ,Phil writes:

|
| I found a strange plane growing in my garden, not sure if it's a weed
| or not so left it for the moment.
| Can anyone tell me what it is?
|
|http://www.flickr.com/photos/21280746@N02/2068854382/

Almost impossible to tell until it flowers. It's almost certainly
one of the Umbelliferae, but that leaf shape isn't rare in them.
Nor are purplish stems. Somone may well be able to make a good
guess, but that's all it can be - I can't.

It's probably a wild plant :-)

Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Thanks Nick,

Quick response!
I'll leave it to flower, if it doesn't freeze over winter!

Phil.

In message , Nick Maclaren
writes

In article ,
Phil writes:
|
| I found a strange plane growing in my garden, not sure if it's a weed
| or not so left it for the moment.
| Can anyone tell me what it is?
|
| http://www.flickr.com/photos/21280746@N02/2068854382/

Almost impossible to tell until it flowers. It's almost certainly
one of the Umbelliferae, but that leaf shape isn't rare in them.
Nor are purplish stems. Somone may well be able to make a good
guess, but that's all it can be - I can't.

I don't share your certainty. It gives me the impression of one of the
giant Herb Roberts. Geranium maderense seems the best match for the leaf
shape. (And I don't see a match among the umbellifers in Keble-Martin.)

It's probably a wild plant :-)


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

--
Stewart Robert Hinsley

Thanks Stewart,

Looked it up in my books and that looks like an exact match!

Now wondering how it got here (Worthing)?
Have to see if it survives the winter.

Thanks again

Phil.

In message
,
Phil writes
Thanks Stewart,

Looked it up in my books and that looks like an exact match!

Now wondering how it got here (Worthing)?
Have to see if it survives the winter.

The photograph looks like a good microclimate (wall, presumably south
facing from the presence of the Nerines, coastal location, South of
England) so I'd reckon there's a fair chance that it might.

Thanks again

Phil.

--
Stewart Robert Hinsley

In article ,
Stewart Robert Hinsley writes:
| In message
| ,
| Phil writes
|
| Now wondering how it got here (Worthing)?
| Have to see if it survives the winter.
|
| The photograph looks like a good microclimate (wall, presumably south
| facing from the presence of the Nerines, coastal location, South of
| England) so I'd reckon there's a fair chance that it might.

Not a lot to lose by trying!

Quite a lot of such plants self-seed themselves in other people's
gardens. My Danae racemosa has seeded in some places - but, oh!,
IS it slow to grow from seed! If the seeds are eaten by birds,
some other people may have been puzzled by its seedlings, which
don't look much like the parent plant for several years :-)


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Phil wrote:
Thanks Stewart,

Looked it up in my books and that looks like an exact match!

Now wondering how it got here (Worthing)?
Have to see if it survives the winter.

Thanks again

Phil.

Oh, It'll survive all right (has done here in Horsham for over 6 years).
Too well, by the number of seedlings I keep pulling up...

--
Jeff
(cut "thetape" to reply)

In article ,
Stewart Robert Hinsley writes:
|
| Almost impossible to tell until it flowers. It's almost certainly
| one of the Umbelliferae, but that leaf shape isn't rare in them.
| Nor are purplish stems. Somone may well be able to make a good
| guess, but that's all it can be - I can't.
|
| I don't share your certainty. It gives me the impression of one of the
| giant Herb Roberts. Geranium maderense seems the best match for the leaf
| shape. (And I don't see a match among the umbellifers in Keble-Martin.)

I think you're right! I knew that it wasn't anything I recognised,
but its leaves were very like sweet cicely. With hindsight, the
picture shows only one 'level' of leaves per stem, which isn't
something that is normal for the Umbelliferae. I should have
looked more carefully ....


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In message , Nick Maclaren
writes

In article ,
Stewart Robert Hinsley writes:
|
| Almost impossible to tell until it flowers. It's almost certainly
| one of the Umbelliferae, but that leaf shape isn't rare in them.
| Nor are purplish stems. Somone may well be able to make a good
| guess, but that's all it can be - I can't.
|
| I don't share your certainty. It gives me the impression of one of the
| giant Herb Roberts. Geranium maderense seems the best match for the leaf
| shape. (And I don't see a match among the umbellifers in Keble-Martin.)

I think you're right! I knew that it wasn't anything I recognised,
but its leaves were very like sweet cicely. With hindsight, the
picture shows only one 'level' of leaves per stem, which isn't
something that is normal for the Umbelliferae. I should have
looked more carefully ....

Another point is that the leaves of Myrrhis (also Anthriscus,
Chaerophyllum, and Torilis, which all look rather similar) are pinnate,
and the photograph shows palmate leaves.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

--
Stewart Robert Hinsley

In article ,
Stewart Robert Hinsley writes:
|
| Another point is that the leaves of Myrrhis (also Anthriscus,
| Chaerophyllum, and Torilis, which all look rather similar) are pinnate,
| and the photograph shows palmate leaves.

True - it obviously wasn't Myrrhis, in several grounds.

Uon checking, there ARE some of the native Umbelliferae with
palmate leaves at the end of their stalks - Sanicula and
Astrantia - but it obviously isn't either, and I think that
your diagnosis is right.

Generally, however, that's not an Umbelliferae pattern, and I
should have looked more closely.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In article , Stewart Robert Hinsley
writes


I don't share your certainty. It gives me the impression of one of the
giant Herb Roberts. Geranium maderense seems the best match for the
leaf shape. (And I don't see a match among the umbellifers in
Keble-Martin.)


Same thought here Stewart, looks like some of my more vigorous
geraniums.

--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

Bob is quite right, there is no doubt that the plant in the pic is
Geranium palmatum. Whilst the leaves appear similar to those of G.
maderense as mentioned by Stewart, the pinnae of the latter species
are just that bit more narrow, more deeply indented and sharper at the
apices. Although it is one of the more tender species, it seems to be
hardier than both G. maderense and G. canariense. G. palmatum is well
established in my garden - as prolific and almost as 'weedy' as our
native 'herb robert' (Geranium robertianum). It has escaped and is
naturalised in the lane at the back of the garden. Luckily it is
easily removed where it is not wanted.

As a garden plant it has much to commend it; carrying very large
clusters of sizeable purple-red flowers over several weeks in summer.
It is sometimes claimed to be biennial, but I have a plant that will
be 7 years old by next spring. Well worth holding on to Phil - I
think you will enjoy the show of flowers next summer. By then the
plant will have developed into a fair sized mound of foliage and you
can expect many hundreds of 3cms+ flowers carried on branching racemes
to 1m. high or more.

"Dave Poole" wrote ...
Bob is quite right, there is no doubt that the plant in the pic is
Geranium palmatum. Whilst the leaves appear similar to those of G.
maderense as mentioned by Stewart, the pinnae of the latter species
are just that bit more narrow, more deeply indented and sharper at the
apices. Although it is one of the more tender species, it seems to be
hardier than both G. maderense and G. canariense. G. palmatum is well
established in my garden - as prolific and almost as 'weedy' as our
native 'herb robert' (Geranium robertianum). It has escaped and is
naturalised in the lane at the back of the garden. Luckily it is
easily removed where it is not wanted.

As a garden plant it has much to commend it; carrying very large
clusters of sizeable purple-red flowers over several weeks in summer.
It is sometimes claimed to be biennial, but I have a plant that will
be 7 years old by next spring. Well worth holding on to Phil - I
think you will enjoy the show of flowers next summer. By then the
plant will have developed into a fair sized mound of foliage and you
can expect many hundreds of 3cms+ flowers carried on branching racemes
to 1m. high or more.

None of mine ever last more than a few years, however they do seed about
(especially in the block paving!!!) so we are never without a few in various
stages of growth. I have not had to plant any after being given the first
few some years ago but neither have I had a problem with it becoming over
abundant. Whilst not as spectacular as G.maderense in flower, it is still a
lovely plant and well worth growing for both it's rather exotic looking
leaves and form and it's attractive flowers which are held up to 4ft tall.
--
Regards
Bob Hobden
17mls W. of London.UK

On Tue, 27 Nov 2007 15:10:44 +0000, Stewart Robert Hinsley
wrote:

I don't share your certainty. It gives me the impression of one of the
giant Herb Roberts. Geranium maderense seems the best match for the leaf
shape. (And I don't see a match among the umbellifers in Keble-Martin.)

That was my first instinct too. I'd not pull it up. See if it
survives the winter and flowers, and then identification will be
easier.

Pam in Bristol