Can't identify plants in garden!
Hi folks.
Our son brought a wither plant home (stem and two leaves!) in a plastic cup a few months back. Placed it outside and watered it as usual. He seemed to think his teachers told him it was some kind of bean plant (we presumed broad beans) and that was that (from experience the plants our children bring back from school tend to be cress that dies off after a few weeks!).
Anyway, it seemed to perk up so I placed it in the garden (hoping we might get a few broad beans 
.
Lo and behold, a few months later it now looks like this:
I thought it might be marigold, but when my mother came up to visit us last night, she said it was more like a dahlia?
It is actually one plant, but it seems to have three (slightly different) flower types growing on it (three different shades - not quite evident in the photo).
Anybody able to identify? We presume it's from a pack of seeds the school brought it...so quite possibly not a rare one, but intrigued all the same!
Many thanks.
Posts
Hi somapop,
it looks like one of those compact multi headed sunflowers. Just keep deadheading for more flowers. Sorry I can't help with what variety of sunflower, I don't know many of the names. Hopefully someone else on the forum will recognise it.
The sticky-up centre suggests rudbeckia to me
In the sticks near Peterborough
I think it looks like helenium. Some were featured on Gardeners World last Friday. Lovely plant
Yes, looks like the Rudbeckia I sowed this year- mine were called Autumn Shades
Looks like one of the gaillardia's although which one I'm not at all sure. But looking again could be rudbeckia hirta.
Yep its rudbeckia. I have the same grown from a free packet that came with Garden News mag...'Autumn Colours'....gorgeous!
Oh heck - wrong again
Lovely plant though
Lesley
Lots of these daisy type flowers are so similar aren't they? I don't really grow any of them but my guess would have been Gaillardia or Rudbeckia so I don't feel quite so bad now
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Rudbeckia 'autumn colours' as said above. lovely plant.
Excellent - thanks everybody. That's the one
Perennials too...my mum will be pleased. She's placed an order for the seeds when they appear (whenever that might be) or might try and pick up some this weekend.
Not sure if this variety reaches that height but I've just read they can grow up to 6 feet?
I had to prune it a few weeks back (growing into a nearby acer of similar colours). Its' already branched off into new flowers. Lovely looking and fast growing plant. Will water tonight as lack of rain has left it a little droopy.
Thanks all!