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#1
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What is this mystery plant? (photo)
Hello all.
Please can anyone identify this plant which grows in a couple of places alongside the side path of our house, where it's pretty shady and damp? The plant pops up from time to time, in a couple of places, and then dies back only to reappear a few weeks/months later. I don't recall ever seeing it flower. It resembles a large four-leaf clover with a purple patch in the centre, and stands about 15-20cm high (6-8" in old money). I have not seen it anywhere else, and no-one I have asked has been able to identify it. Mind you, that isn't saying much as they are all as ignorant about plants as I am! There is a good-quality photo at http://www.sterry.org.uk/temp/mysteryplant.jpg . Thanks -- Rick |
#2
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What is this mystery plant? (photo)
In article , Richard Sterry
writes Hello all. Please can anyone identify this plant which grows in a couple of places alongside the side path of our house, where it's pretty shady and damp? The plant pops up from time to time, in a couple of places, and then dies back only to reappear a few weeks/months later. I don't recall ever seeing it flower. It resembles a large four-leaf clover with a purple patch in the centre, and stands about 15-20cm high (6-8" in old money). I have not seen it anywhere else, and no-one I have asked has been able to identify it. Mind you, that isn't saying much as they are all as ignorant about plants as I am! There is a good-quality photo at http://www.sterry.org.uk/temp/mysteryplant.jpg . My first thought was Oxalis, but they all seem to have 3-lobed leaves - see for example: http://msucares.com/news/print/sgnew...030512_200.jpg Does your plant flower ever? -- Kay "Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river" |
#3
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What is this mystery plant? (photo)
"Richard Sterry" wrote in message ... Hello all. Please can anyone identify this plant which grows in a couple of places alongside the side path of our house, where it's pretty shady and damp? The plant pops up from time to time, in a couple of places, and then dies back only to reappear a few weeks/months later. I don't recall ever seeing it flower. It resembles a large four-leaf clover with a purple patch in the centre, and stands about 15-20cm high (6-8" in old money). I have not seen it anywhere else, and no-one I have asked has been able to identify it. Mind you, that isn't saying much as they are all as ignorant about plants as I am! There is a good-quality photo at http://www.sterry.org.uk/temp/mysteryplant.jpg . Thanks Rick It's Oxalis deppei - likes lots of water......... Oxalis tetraphylla syn. Oxalis deppei has green leaves with the center of the leaf reddish brown. It the variety 'Iron Cross' is is very deep. This is the "four leafed clover". It is a summer bloomer from Mexico. Photo by Bill Dijk http://www.ibiblio.org/pbs/pbswiki/f...tetraphylla.jp g Jenny |
#4
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What is this mystery plant? (photo)
"Richard Sterry" wrote in message ... Hello all. Please can anyone identify this plant which grows in a couple of places alongside the side path of our house, where it's pretty shady and damp? The plant pops up from time to time, in a couple of places, and then dies back only to reappear a few weeks/months later. I don't recall ever seeing it flower. It resembles a large four-leaf clover with a purple patch in the centre, and stands about 15-20cm high (6-8" in old money). I have not seen it anywhere else, and no-one I have asked has been able to identify it. Mind you, that isn't saying much as they are all as ignorant about plants as I am! There is a good-quality photo at http://www.sterry.org.uk/temp/mysteryplant.jpg . Thanks -- Rick It looks like an oxalis to me. Has it got small pink flowers? If you like it it's easy to propagate from the bulbs. Steve |
#5
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What is this mystery plant? (photo)
"shazzbat" wrote in message ... "Richard Sterry" wrote in message ... Hello all. Please can anyone identify this plant which grows in a couple of places alongside the side path of our house, where it's pretty shady and damp? The plant pops up from time to time, in a couple of places, and then dies back only to reappear a few weeks/months later. I don't recall ever seeing it flower. It resembles a large four-leaf clover with a purple patch in the centre, and stands about 15-20cm high (6-8" in old money). I have not seen it anywhere else, and no-one I have asked has been able to identify it. Mind you, that isn't saying much as they are all as ignorant about plants as I am! There is a good-quality photo at http://www.sterry.org.uk/temp/mysteryplant.jpg . Thanks Rick It looks like an oxalis to me. Has it got small pink flowers? If you like it it's easy to propagate from the bulbs. Steve Link in my [previous post seems incorrect - try http://www.ibiblio.org/pbs/pbswiki/index.php/Oxalis Jenny |
#6
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What is this mystery plant? (photo)
JennyC wrote:
"Richard Sterry" wrote in message ... There is a good-quality photo at http://www.sterry.org.uk/temp/mysteryplant.jpg . Thanks Rick It's Oxalis deppei - likes lots of water......... Oxalis tetraphylla syn. Oxalis deppei has green leaves with the center of the leaf reddish brown. It the variety 'Iron Cross' is is very deep. This is the "four leafed clover". It is a summer bloomer from Mexico. Photo by Bill Dijk http://www.ibiblio.org/pbs/pbswiki/f...tetraphylla.jp g Jenny Thanks Jenny. The leaves certainly look a pretty good match to me, but we've never seen any flowers - we didn't even know if it was a wild plant or a cultivated one. Interestingly, now that the light is failing, the leaves have folded down so that the leaf edges touch, which then makes the leaves resemble the flights of a dart. You can just see this happening on the leaves at the extreme bottom right of the photo that you pointed to. If I could figure out what it needs to enable it to flower, I would gladly do the necessary as it's an interesting little plant. Thanks again for the ID - I'll do a little Googling now. Thanks also to anyone else who identified it as an Oxalis. Bye from Rick |
#7
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What is this mystery plant? (photo)
"Richard Sterry" wrote in message ... JennyC wrote: [snip] Oxalis tetraphylla syn. Oxalis deppei has green leaves with the center of the leaf reddish brown. It the variety 'Iron Cross' is is very deep. This is the "four leafed clover". It is a summer bloomer from Mexico. Photo by Bill Dijk http://www.ibiblio.org/pbs/pbswiki/f...tetraphylla.jp g Jenny Thanks Jenny. The leaves certainly look a pretty good match to me, but we've never seen any flowers - we didn't even know if it was a wild plant or a cultivated one. Interestingly, now that the light is failing, the leaves have folded down so that the leaf edges touch, which then makes the leaves resemble the flights of a dart. You can just see this happening on the leaves at the extreme bottom right of the photo that you pointed to. That is a common feature of many (all?) members of the Oxalis genus. If I could figure out what it needs to enable it to flower, I would gladly do the necessary as it's an interesting little plant. Probably putting it in a good light will help. But watch it, many of this genus are very rampant and are quite difficult to eradicate once they have established a colony. Franz |
#8
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What is this mystery plant? (photo)
JennyC wrote:
Link in my [previous post seems incorrect - try http://www.ibiblio.org/pbs/pbswiki/index.php/Oxalis Jenny All that had happened was that the final "g" on the ".jpg" suffix had wrapped round to the following line, and I sussed that no problem thanks. Rick |
#9
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What is this mystery plant? (photo)
Franz Heymann wrote:
If I could figure out what it needs to enable it to flower, I would gladly do the necessary as it's an interesting little plant. Probably putting it in a good light will help. But watch it, many of this genus are very rampant and are quite difficult to eradicate once they have established a colony. Thanks for the advice and warning. Rick |
#10
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What is this mystery plant? (photo)
"Franz Heymann" wrote JennyC wrote: [snip] Oxalis tetraphylla syn. Probably putting it in a good light will help. But watch it, many of this genus are very rampant and are quite difficult to eradicate once they have established a colony. Franz What sort of winter temperature can it stand outside? Mines in a pot and I was wondering whether to plant it our or bring it in... Jenny |
#11
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What is this mystery plant? (photo)
"JennyC" wrote in message ... "Franz Heymann" wrote JennyC wrote: [snip] Oxalis tetraphylla syn. Probably putting it in a good light will help. But watch it, many of this genus are very rampant and are quite difficult to eradicate once they have established a colony. Franz What sort of winter temperature can it stand outside? Mines in a pot and I was wondering whether to plant it our or bring it in... According to the RHS Encyclopedia it will take it down to -5 deg C. I used to have a clump thriving outdoors for many years in the Woking area. Franz |
#12
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What is this mystery plant? (photo)
Franz Heymann wrote:
According to the RHS Encyclopedia it will take it down to -5 deg C. I used to have a clump thriving outdoors for many years in the Woking area. Well, I'm on the outskirts of sunny Wakefield in West Yorkshire, and the two small clumps that I have seem to have survived for several years, though they aren't exactly thriving in that they are not spreading and they are not flowering. Maybe I will try lifting them and storing them over the winter, and replant them somewhere a bit sunnier next year. Rick |
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