ID Help

Hi All,

Not sure if this should be here or in the ID section, so if I'm wrong then please feel free to move it mods!

Earlier in the year I went a bit ebay mental and bought a load of cheap packets of seeds. Of the two types I planted, neither are what they were supposed to be.

Its really bugging me not knowing what the rest are, so even though its the wrong time of year I've decided to try one of each seed just to try to ID them and re-label.

I planted one "Purple Moonflower - Calonyction aculeatum" and one "Hosta" on Sunday and the "Purple Moonflower" has shot up already. Attached are pics of the seeds and the seedling, can anyone confirm one way or the other?



I know purple moonflower is used for a few different species, Id really like to confirm that this isnt one of the massively poisonous types!

Thank you!

 

Hi All,

Further to the above post, the purple moonflower has grown and now flowered in the light box. Please excuse the purple glow from the lights.

I'm pretty sure this is the common, non-lethal type, but can anybody confirm?

Thanks

 

Hi KyreCookie, The leaves look like Calonyction (now renamed Ipomoea alba). Can't find any reference to a purple form, though. Perhaps you've been sold Ipomoea purpurea or a cross? True moon flowers are huge with small tendrils at the edges. Is the flower fragrant at night? Can't find any mention of Ipomoea being toxic, either!

 

It looks like an Ipomoea seedling to me also, but would not like to hazard a guess as to which type.
Not sure lethal is the right word, but I'd not try eating it.

 

Thanks for the responses.

Not planning on putting it in my next bolognese or anything, just concerned about my pets after I read something saying moonflowers are deadly to even touch!

It doesnt seem to have any scent at all, and the bloom closed about an hour after I took the photo and hasnt opened again since. Doesnt look dead, just closed.

 

That's nonsense about moonflowers being deadly to touch! I grow them most years, have cats and have never had any problems. If it's the seeds that are supposed to be toxic, they're still not a problem as they are large and not easy to harvest, being encased in a tough seed pod.
It sounds and looks very much as though your plant is Ipomoea purpurea. The flowers don't last long, especially in bright light. That's why they're called Morning Glories If you'd like some seed of true Ipomoea alba, PM me and I'll send you some.

 

The seeds contain an hallucinogen similar to L.S.D that's the reason seed companies treat the seeds with a chemical to stop people eating them, can't remember what it is exactly but I think it might be an emetic.

 

They taste kinda like half sunshine, half music and half rainbow man :window:

 

I'm surprised you can remember @Zigs Sort of on this subject, yesterday I popped down to the road to a cottage our neighbouring farmer rents out to 3 young guys as postie had given me a parcel for them as they were out at delivery time. I wandered down and knocked on the door. It was opened by 1 of the lads and I was nearly knocked over by the powerful aroma of...cigarettes? The lad was in a very good mood unsurprisingly! and suggested I came in to join them. Gawd if I'd accepted their kind invitation I'd have been high for a week from the fumes alone.

 

They say if you can remember the 60's you were, you were..... hey, who let that giant green leprechaun in?

My workmate and I had to get up in an attic last year to assess roof damage, the guys below were smoking and all the smoke blew up into the attic, we were as high as a space shuttle 10 minutes later, couldn't stop giggling

 

Thanks all for the advice, I have a narrow border down one side of the garden against the fence so the idea is to grow as many mixed climbers as I can once the spring arrives. Its maybe 10 inches wide so Im thinking up rather than out is the way to go there.

The rate this is growing I dont think it would take long to spread out if it were given more than the tiny pot its in now.