Plant ID please

Posts

• Dovefromabove Posts: 88,147

  April 2018 edited April 2018

  Heracleum sphondylium, Common hogweed, Cow parsnip picked by generations of country children to feed pet rabbits  
  Big beautiful umbels of creamy flowers  in the summer and great seedheads in the autumn and winter. 
  I was taught to recognise it by the deep groove down the upper surface of its purplish stems. 

  
  Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
  
  
  
  
  
  

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• Igrowfromseed Posts: 284

  April 2018

  Thanks for the quick reply.
  Just reading about it:
  Many plants including parsnips and common hogweed contain phototoxic sap, but none in the UK are anywhere near as severe as that of giant hogweed, though on sunny days we recommend harvesting common hogweed or even parsnips with gloves on.
  
  Are there many areas where the giant hogweed can still be found? I've heard 'they' have been trying to eradicate it.

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• Dovefromabove Posts: 88,147

  April 2018

  I think there are still some instances where giant hogweed escapees from private gardens still exist, especially on riverbanks. But I think they are few nowadays. 
  Common hogweed is a very different plant ... as I said as children(bare armed and bare legged) we gathered arms full for our rabbits, and for Ma's goats who also loved it. 
  Some people with sensitive skin may get a prickly rash, but nothing like as bad as a nettle sting. 

  
  Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
  
  
  
  
  
  

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• Paul B3 Posts: 3,154

  April 2018

  My 'wild-bit' as I call it , at the end of my garden has several Giant Hogweed plants , along with 'Alexanders' (Smyrnium olusatrum) , and a nice clump of Deadly Nightshade .
  The former has a bad reputation , though have never had problems at all ; why touch it if you really don't need to !
  

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• Dovefromabove Posts: 88,147

  April 2018

  Paul, do you harvest your Alexanders?  The shoots are delicious steamed and eaten like asparagus. 

  
  Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
  
  
  
  
  
  

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• Paul B3 Posts: 3,154

  April 2018

  Hello again Dove !
  I had no idea that Alexanders was even edible (!) , but well worth knowing  about. Thankyou .
  
  PS 'Those' alpines we were 'debating' rather heatedly about last week are still there!
  They look as if they've suffered with the winter-wet , so let them be .
  Came into contact on Monday with the prospective buyers apparently ; after all those pointless and sometimes nasty comments on my thread , they really seemed to appreciate the garden and the work I was undertaking there .
  Good luck to them & the plants .
  
  (See !........even ardent atheists have a conscience)!!!
  

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• Dovefromabove Posts: 88,147

  April 2018

  Paul B3 said:

  ... even ardent atheists have a conscience)!!!
  

  I never doubted it ... as I said, I am one 

  
  Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
  
  
  
  
  
  

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• Fire Posts: 19,096

  April 2018

  Lovely peeps, let's not go there again. Please. Anyone who who appreciates a garden and its gardener is a good egg by me.
  

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• Paul B3 Posts: 3,154

  April 2018

  Nice one Fire !
  I'll second that ; looks like we'll be maintaining the aforementioned garden for the foreseeable future . The alpines are safe it seems .
  I cannot believe the amount of work we have on ; every weekday plus Saturdays (when this accursed weather allows) ; cold wind and endless rain at the moment (E.Lincs) .
  Have just invested in a moderate sized petrol-powered wood-chipper ; that should save us a lot of time on some jobs !
  

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• Igrowfromseed Posts: 284

  May 2018

  Another couple of unknowns to me that I came across in the countryside. Any help with ID?
  Thanks
  
  
  And this one as well
  
  
  
  

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