Two unknowns

Discussion in 'Plants: Identification' started by curioustraveller, Jul 29, 2008.

  1. curioustraveller

    curioustraveller Active Member 10 Years

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    The first two pictures are of a volunteer plant that showed up in my yard. I have waited to see if it grew to anything I could recognize, but I still don't have a clue.

    The other might be planted or it might be something "wild" as it is in the naturalized area of my gardens. The leaves appear spiky, but are not hard. The flowers grow on one side of the stalk only. It smells great!
     

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  2. Tyrlych

    Tyrlych Rising Contributor 10 Years

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    The first one is Echinocystis lobata.
     
  3. curioustraveller

    curioustraveller Active Member 10 Years

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    It is indeed. That's funny! I tried to grow that last year, in a completely different spot, and nothing grew!! I'd only had the seeds, so didn't recognize the plant. Thanks so much.
     
  4. Eric La Fountaine

    Eric La Fountaine Contributor Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Does the second one smell like rosemary?
     
  5. curioustraveller

    curioustraveller Active Member 10 Years

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    Maybe. It has a similar pungency as what I have in my spice cupboard, but doesn't look, or smell, anything like the rosemary growing elsewhere in my garden.
     
  6. Eric La Fountaine

    Eric La Fountaine Contributor Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Looks like rosemary and you said it had a smell, so I was just guessing. There are a lot of different types.
     
  7. curioustraveller

    curioustraveller Active Member 10 Years

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    I will explore that idea a bit more.
     
  8. abgardeneer

    abgardeneer Active Member

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    The second plant is blue hyssop, Hyssopus officinalis.
     
  9. curioustraveller

    curioustraveller Active Member 10 Years

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    From all I can find on the 'net, it appears you are correct! I wonder where it came from??? Thanks!
     
  10. abgardeneer

    abgardeneer Active Member

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    Well, they're not terribly rare. I grow them and chances are one of your neighbors does too.
     

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