Can anyone tell me what this is please?

Discussion in 'General Gardening Discussion' started by viola_mad, Aug 9, 2011.

  1. viola_mad

    viola_mad Apprentice Gardener

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    I put some seeds in this border earlier in the summer, but the blackbirds loved the bare soil and were in the bed flicking it around for weeks. This ugly thing has since sprung up, and I wondered whether the birds had introduced it. Does anyone know what it is? I thought it was hideous and I was going to pull it out, but my neighbour persuaded me to wait and see what the flowers looked like. If it's a weed I want to pull it out now before it reproduces!! Many thanks in advance.
    http://i1223.photobucket.com/albums/dd517/gemini1287/DSCN6691.jpg
    http://i1223.photobucket.com/albums/dd517/gemini1287/DSCN6692.jpg
     
  2. Louise D

    Louise D Total Gardener

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    I don't think it's ugly, i think those flowers are lovely.
    I'm not sure what it is, what seeds did you sow ?
     
  3. simbad

    simbad Total Gardener

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    Its nicandra physalodes or to give it its more common name the shoo fly plant supposed to deter whitefly, its an annual, I've grown it this year for the first time, quite like it.
     
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    • viola_mad

      viola_mad Apprentice Gardener

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      Wow, thanks for the really fast responses!

      Ok well if it deters whitefly, then I guess it can stay. Admittedly the flowers are quite pretty, but they seem very fragile and wilt almost straight away. I must admit I was quite alarmed by the speed at which it burst onto the scene, that's why I thought it was a weed. The seeds I actually planted were those pretty red flowers on the left of the picture (can't remember what they were called) and some lupins (just seen beneath what I now know is shoo fly plant).
       
    • simbad

      simbad Total Gardener

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      Thats ok viola-mad :) , just wish I'd thought to plant some on the allotment, the whitefly are a real pain at the moment,agree it does grow pretty fast,could your red flower be a form of linum?, looks familiar:scratch:.
       
    • PeterS

      PeterS Total Gardener

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      Viola - I think its a lovely plant. I love the flower pods, that then keep their shape and turn into seed pods. Its an annual and I find it does seed around a bit. But I always save some seed to grow more for next year. I had one up to about 5 feet a couple of years ago, and I have heard of them growing to 8 feet - but that would be very unusual.
       
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