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Plant identification

Mark ProbinMark Probin Posts: 5
in Plants
Hi

Hope someone can help?

This plant has started to grow a few months back. The last few weeks has been shooting up a good 5cm a day and is now over 5ft tall.

We purchased the property a couple of years back, and have turned an abandoned garden around.

There were no signs of this plant last year though.

We are intrigued to what it is, even if it's a weed! We have no idea!

Hopefully some can help? Thanks.

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited June 2018
    It's Common Figwort aka Scrophularia (sounds alarming but isn't) 

    http://www.wildflowersofireland.net/plant_detail.php?id_flower=95&wildflower=Figwort, Common

    https://www.woodlands.co.uk/blog/woodland-flowers/white-flowers/common-figwort/

    Often found in newly disturbed soil ... the first wild plant I learned to identify on Nature Rambles as a primary school child a very long time ago  ... consequently I'm inordinately fond of it   :)

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





  • Mark ProbinMark Probin Posts: 5
    Oh! Thank you.

    At least not a weed then.

    I was expecting a thread of chop down now quick asap etc!
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    What's a weed?  In my book a weed is a plant in the 'wrong place' whether it be a cultivated plant or a wild one.

    I class Figwort as a native wild flower ... some people would call it a weed ... you just have to reflect on what sort of gardener you are and what sort of garden you are creating.  :)

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





  • Papi JoPapi Jo Posts: 4,254
    Correct ID, @Dovefromabove I also like the flower of this plant very much.
    I am intrigued by the appearance of the photos posted by the OP in this discussion. Why do they appear as click-able thumbnails rather than full pics as usual? How do you achieve this?
  • ju1i3ju1i3 Posts: 189
    I think this is a water figwort not a common figwort.
  • Papi JoPapi Jo Posts: 4,254
    Scrophularia auriculata - Water figwort
    Scrophularia nodosa - Common figwort

    Best way to tell them apart is to have a look at the roots. S. nodosa has distinctive tuberous roots as shown in my photo below.

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