Please help me identify these plants which are growing in my yard. The last 2 pictures are from the same plant. Thanks!
I forgot to mention that the white flowers have no scent during the day, but smell incredible at night. I was looking at nicotianas but it doesent seem to look the same. Also everything I've read about nicotiana says they are annuals, but this comes back every year. I am in zone 3b.
Alice--I am certainly not an expert--but the 2nd plant looks like the leaves of a smoke bush--anyone else? Obe
Annuals, yes, but very good at self-seeding. We have a pot that has produced seedlings and flowered for three summers now, without any particular prodding from us.
Ken R, They also seem to spread very well underground, almost like thick vines just under the soil. Does this sound right? I've been searching for images, but none I've seen so far look the same. Thanks Obe, I will look up smoke bush :) Tipularia, the leaves do look geraniumish now that I think about it, the plant is about 3ft tall and the leaves seem to yellow and go brown quickly, Im curious now what its true name is. Thanks again all
Not only the leaves, but the long pointed seed pods are characteristic of geraniums. There are so many. Someone on the forum might recognize it. You might have luck searching here for images on google. You could also do an image search for crane's bill.
Compare #2 with Sedum (Hylotelephium) telephium http://www.missouriplants.com/Pinkalt/Sedum_telephium_page.html HTH Chris
1. Saponaria officinalis 2. Yes, Sedum (Hylotelephium) telephium 'Autumn Joy' 3,4. Both are perennial geraniums.
I think the geranium is G pratense or something along those lines. You can cut them back after flowering and get a new flush of leaves. #2 isn't necessarily Autumn Joy but certainly a Sedum telephium of some sort. Regarding photo #1, I wouldn't know the plant either way, but for the sake of future ID challenges I will point out that your photo placed the white flowers in front of white boards with uncanny precision, making the flowers hard to see. Glad someone recognized it.
Geranium pratense does seem to be the one, and the seed pods definitely look like a "crane's bill", Good to know I can rejuvinate them, they get pretty straggly by mid summer. I'm excited to see what color the Sedum will be too, the plants were a gift from my neighbor and I've never seen them flower before. They are alongside the egde of my patio and should be lovely. I looked up some info on the Saponaria officinalis (soapwort) Wikipedia says that I can make a soap from the roots, and it is also used in making beer. I think I'll try the soap just for fun.
Not to spoil the fun, but for me the sedums are all about the foliage; rarely find the flowers that exciting. But that is a nice frosty green.
