Hello all.....

My next door neighbour has a plant growing which she did not plant herself, we have both looked in our identification books and I have trawled through thousands of images on-line but we haven't managed to identify it.....any help in doing form your good selves would really make her day !!!

I have attached some photos of both the flowers and the foliage.....the flowers unfurl, almost fern like in the way they do this.

Thanking you all in advance..... Matt x

"The_Frodster" wrote .....

My next door neighbour has a plant growing which she did not plant
herself, we have both looked in our identification books and I have
trawled through thousands of images on-line but we haven't managed to
identify it.....any help in doing form your good selves would really
make her day !!!

I have attached some photos of both the flowers and the foliage.....the
flowers unfurl, almost fern like in the way they do this.

Thanking you all in advance..... Matt x


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|Filename: Mystery Plant - Flowers.jpg |
|Download:
http://www.gardenbanter.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=11409|
|Filename: Mystery Plant - Foliage.jpg |
|Download:
http://www.gardenbanter.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=11410|
|Filename: Mystery Plant.jpg |
|Download:
http://www.gardenbanter.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=11411|
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A Phacelia ?

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
just W. of London

On Sun, 14 Jun 2009 11:08:46 +0100, The_Frodster
wrote:


Hello all.....

My next door neighbour has a plant growing which she did not plant
herself, we have both looked in our identification books and I have
trawled through thousands of images on-line but we haven't managed to
identify it.....any help in doing form your good selves would really
make her day !!!

I have attached some photos of both the flowers and the foliage.....the
flowers unfurl, almost fern like in the way they do this.

Thanking you all in advance..... Matt x


+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Filename: Mystery Plant - Flowers.jpg |
|Download: http://www.gardenbanter.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=11409|
|Filename: Mystery Plant - Foliage.jpg |
|Download: http://www.gardenbanter.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=11410|
|Filename: Mystery Plant.jpg |
|Download: http://www.gardenbanter.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=11411|
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

Phacelia tanacetifolia. Sold as a green manure, but who could dig it
in before it flowers. It attracts beneficial insects. Let it seed
about.

Pam in Bristol

On Sun, 14 Jun 2009 11:08:46 +0100, The_Frodster
wrote:


Hello all.....

My next door neighbour has a plant growing which she did not plant
herself, we have both looked in our identification books and I have
trawled through thousands of images on-line but we haven't managed to
identify it.....any help in doing form your good selves would really
make her day !!!

I have attached some photos of both the flowers and the foliage.....the
flowers unfurl, almost fern like in the way they do this.

Thanking you all in advance..... Matt x


It's a scorpion weed. There were fields full of them when I was a kid
but they seem to be less common theses days.

Steve

--
Neural Planner Software Ltd www.NPSL1.com

"Stephen Wolstenholme" wrote ...
The_Frodster wrote:
My next door neighbour has a plant growing which she did not plant
herself, we have both looked in our identification books and I have
trawled through thousands of images on-line but we haven't managed to
identify it.....any help in doing form your good selves would really
make her day !!!

I have attached some photos of both the flowers and the foliage.....the
flowers unfurl, almost fern like in the way they do this.


It's a scorpion weed. There were fields full of them when I was a kid
but they seem to be less common theses days.

At least we are all agreed on the plant family.

Did you see fields of them in the UK or N.America?

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
just W. of London

On Sun, 14 Jun 2009 18:46:02 +0100, Stephen Wolstenholme
wrote:

On Sun, 14 Jun 2009 11:08:46 +0100, The_Frodster
wrote:


Hello all.....

My next door neighbour has a plant growing which she did not plant
herself, we have both looked in our identification books and I have
trawled through thousands of images on-line but we haven't managed to
identify it.....any help in doing form your good selves would really
make her day !!!

I have attached some photos of both the flowers and the foliage.....the
flowers unfurl, almost fern like in the way they do this.

Thanking you all in advance..... Matt x


It's a scorpion weed. There were fields full of them when I was a kid
but they seem to be less common theses days.

Steve

I've never heard of scorpion weed but we are both right Steve!
See http://www.plantpress.com/wildlife/o...orpionweed.php
Another site said that touching it can sting like poison ivy. I've
touched the plant many times and never had any ill effect. I just let
it seed and grow where it wants on the allotment. Any in unsuitable
places go on the compost.
If only it were scented it would be a very desirable garden plant.
The young foliage is attractive too.

Pam in Bristol

On Sun, 14 Jun 2009 22:40:22 +0100, Pam Moore
wrote:

On Sun, 14 Jun 2009 18:46:02 +0100, Stephen Wolstenholme
wrote:

On Sun, 14 Jun 2009 11:08:46 +0100, The_Frodster
wrote:


Hello all.....

My next door neighbour has a plant growing which she did not plant
herself, we have both looked in our identification books and I have
trawled through thousands of images on-line but we haven't managed to
identify it.....any help in doing form your good selves would really
make her day !!!

I have attached some photos of both the flowers and the foliage.....the
flowers unfurl, almost fern like in the way they do this.

Thanking you all in advance..... Matt x


It's a scorpion weed. There were fields full of them when I was a kid
but they seem to be less common theses days.

Steve

I've never heard of scorpion weed but we are both right Steve!
See http://www.plantpress.com/wildlife/o...orpionweed.php
Another site said that touching it can sting like poison ivy. I've
touched the plant many times and never had any ill effect. I just let
it seed and grow where it wants on the allotment. Any in unsuitable
places go on the compost.
If only it were scented it would be a very desirable garden plant.
The young foliage is attractive too.

Pam in Bristol

And you can buy a plant for 3.99 !!!
http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/bed...id.2000010196/
Interesting references on Google.

I feel sure we had a similar question on here some years ago. Can't
find it though.

Pam in Bristol

On Sun, 14 Jun 2009 22:32:16 +0100, "Bob Hobden"
wrote:


"Stephen Wolstenholme" wrote ...
The_Frodster wrote:
My next door neighbour has a plant growing which she did not plant
herself, we have both looked in our identification books and I have
trawled through thousands of images on-line but we haven't managed to
identify it.....any help in doing form your good selves would really
make her day !!!

I have attached some photos of both the flowers and the foliage.....the
flowers unfurl, almost fern like in the way they do this.


It's a scorpion weed. There were fields full of them when I was a kid
but they seem to be less common theses days.

At least we are all agreed on the plant family.

Did you see fields of them in the UK or N.America?

Lancashire in the mid 1950's

Steve

On Sun, 14 Jun 2009 22:40:22 +0100, Pam Moore
wrote:


I've never heard of scorpion weed but we are both right Steve!
See http://www.plantpress.com/wildlife/o...orpionweed.php
Another site said that touching it can sting like poison ivy. I've
touched the plant many times and never had any ill effect. I just let
it seed and grow where it wants on the allotment. Any in unsuitable
places go on the compost.
If only it were scented it would be a very desirable garden plant.
The young foliage is attractive too.


It's the name I remember from over 50 years ago when I was very young.
I think it was to make us think the fields were full of scorpions and
stinging plants. All to stop us playing in the farmers fields.

Steve

--
Neural Planner Software Ltd www.NPSL1.com

In article ,
Stephen Wolstenholme wrote:

It's the name I remember from over 50 years ago when I was very young.
I think it was to make us think the fields were full of scorpions and
stinging plants. All to stop us playing in the farmers fields.

When I was very young, they were :-)


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Stephen Wolstenholme writes
It's the name I remember from over 50 years ago when I was very young.
I think it was to make us think the fields were full of scorpions and
stinging plants.

I'd assumed it was just from the shape of the flower spike, as in the
botanical name of another of the family, Myosotis scorpiodes, water
forget-me-not
--
Kay

In message , Stephen
Wolstenholme writes
On Sun, 14 Jun 2009 22:40:22 +0100, Pam Moore
wrote:


I've never heard of scorpion weed but we are both right Steve!
See http://www.plantpress.com/wildlife/o...orpionweed.php
Another site said that touching it can sting like poison ivy. I've
touched the plant many times and never had any ill effect. I just let
it seed and grow where it wants on the allotment. Any in unsuitable
places go on the compost.
If only it were scented it would be a very desirable garden plant.
The young foliage is attractive too.


It's the name I remember from over 50 years ago when I was very young.
I think it was to make us think the fields were full of scorpions and
stinging plants. All to stop us playing in the farmers fields.

Steve

Supposedly strips of Phacelia tanacetifolia were planted to encourage
beneficial insects.
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley

Thanks for your help on this........I'll be sure to be posting on here in the future, as I'm getting quite fond of gardening.

My veg plot looks ace! The green house is full !
...just need someone to cut the grass for me 8)