Help Wanted... to identify mystery plant

Discussion in 'Plants: Identification' started by ptkexpres, Jul 23, 2008.

  1. ptkexpres

    ptkexpres Member

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    Location:
    South Central Missouri, USA
    There is a beautiful perennial that blooms every spring in my front yard and I would like to know what it is. It does not stay in bloom very long, is in full sun, drought tolerant, and is in hardiness zone 5.

    Other attributes:
    * HERBACEOUS
    * LEAVES OPPOSITE
    * LEAVES NOT COMPOUND
    * VENATION LONGITUDINAL IN LEAVES
    * LEAVES DENTATE
    * STIPULES ABSENT
    * INFLORESCENCE A SPIKE
    * FLOWERS ACTINOMORPHIC
    * 4 SEPALS
    * SEPALS ALL FREE FROM ONE ANOTHER
    * 4 PETALS --- BLUE
    * ANTHERS 2, FERTILE
    * ANTHERS EXTRORSE
    * FRUIT WITH 2 SEEDS --- BROWN

    The seeds are just now drying and beginning to drop from the stems. Each stem made loads of seeds.

    I am including a couple of photos of the plant in hopes that you might know what it is and solve my mystery.

    Thanks,

    ptkexpres
     

    Attached Files:

  2. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Location:
    WA USA (Z8)
    Veronica sp., maybe V. teucrium.
     
  3. ptkexpres

    ptkexpres Member

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    Thanks Ron for yur speedy reply. The mystery plant is definitely not veronica, although the same color blue. I have grown veronica in the past and it is quite different with much smaller flowers spaced tighter along the spike. The flowers on my plant are about 1/2" each all along the spike.

    Good thought though.... at least we are getting closer.

    Since I am new to this site, I looked at old postings of interest last night and found one about poppies that you were part of. I have been searching for a poppy that my mother-in-law grew years ago. It was very, very full and a bright clear pink. They were gorgeous! She always said they were "opium poppies", but I thought she probably considered all poppies to be "opium poppies." Do you know what this might be and who might have just a few seeds to get them started in my garden?

    Thanks for your help!

    Delaine
    ptkexpres@yahoo.com
     
  4. abgardeneer

    abgardeneer Active Member

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    Location:
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    Look again. It's a veronica - the flowers are unmistakeable - and the leaf shape and form suggest V. teucrium. People who are inexperienced with plants commonly seem to assume there is only one representative (e.g. species) of any kind of plant (e.g. genus)... they are profoundly wrong.

    Your mother-in-law's ID of her plant was probably correct. Opium poppies, Papaver somniferum, are commonly grown and are widely available; just google to find places that sell the seeds.
     
  5. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    >Thanks Ron for yur speedy reply<

    In this case it was rather more of a speedwell reply.
     
  6. ptkexpres

    ptkexpres Member

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    Hahaha.... that's pretty clever, Ron! And, yes, after checking several other photo sources for V. teucrium it does look like that is what I have. Dang! You guys are GOOD!!! It only took y'all a few hours to get me an answer to this puzzle and I had been searching in plant databases for weeks.... of course I had mentally ruled out veronica because I was only familiar with the one with the tiny tight flowered spikes. It is always so cool to learn from more experienced gardeners. You guys have probably forgotten more than I know.

    Here's a little something you may like:

    Gardener's Prayer

    by Karel Capek

    O Lord, grant that in some way
    it may rain every day,
    Say from about midnight until three o'clock
    in the morning,
    But, You see, it must be gentle and warm
    so that it can soak in;
    Grant that at the same time it would not rain on
    campion, alyssum, helianthus, lavendar, and others which
    You in Your infinite wisdom know
    are drought-loving plants-
    I will write their names on a bit of paper
    if you like-
    And grant that the sun may shine
    the whole day long,
    But not everywhere (not, for instance, on the
    gentian, plantain lily, and rhododendron)
    and not too much;
    That there may be plenty of dew and little wind,
    enough worms, no lice and snails, or mildew,
    and that once a week thin liquid manure and guano
    may fall from heaven.
    Amen.


    Thanks again to both of you!

    Delaine :>)
     

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