You won't know what's this growing

The two previous what's this were too easy. So its gloves off time. Some you will get, but some are so difficult that I will have to give them away with copious clues. If you are good at clues and can Google - it won't matter if you don't know the plants. So do have a go. Let know your thinking - just any thinking.


1 Berkheya purpurea. Congratulations Marley - I didn't think anyone was going to get this. Its a pretty flower - but I don't know how hardy it is yet.

I was going to show you the new growth, but I thought that might be hard. So I can't make it easier that showing you the flower itself. Its a thistle from the southern hemisphere.


2 Eccremocarpus scaber. Chilean Glory Vine. A half hardt climber.

A climber, but its too Chile to put this outside yet.


3 Echium wildpretti. Virtually there Pete. When a little jewel grows it turns into a Tower of Jewels - although I think that name is also used for Echium pininana as well. I think the foliage is glorious.

I think this is a little jewel. I hope it will grow bigger.


4 Sonchus acaulis. see here http://www.anniesannuals.com/plants/plant_display.asp?prodid=2245 I am glad that there was one that no one got.

This looks a little weedy. But it won't be. its a Dandelion look-alike from Madeira that grow to 5 or even 8 feet.


5 Kalanchoe tubiflora . Spot on Agatha. Mama mille Mia (Mother of Thousands). All it needed was for the little grey tubular cells to be working. :D

Mama mille mia, this is easy if I tell you it has tubular flowers, tubilar leaves and tubilar stems.


6 Cyperus papyrus. Egyptian papyrus. Well noted Pete. As papyrus was the source of the first form of paper - you could write a book on it. I don't think the picture gave away much!

This grassy type thing is a bit small now. Its tender and grown to 4 or 5 feet, and if you do some research you could write a book on it - literally.


7 Leonotis nepetifolia. Lion's ear or Klip Dagga. Now someone knows about plants that you can smoke. :D Rather than L. leonorus, which is a slower growing perennial, this is a fast growing annual. But after a smoke or two - who cares. :D

I have already had to cut this back, and it was only sown just over a month ago. Its an annual from tropical Africa and Southern India that can grow up to 10 feet tall. It has orange flowers. But if you don't like the flowers you can smoke it quite legally. That'll sort the lions from the mice.


8 Caragena microphylla. Siberian Pea Bush, though I think that name also applies to C arborescens. This is hardy to zone 2. Pete - very close. I suspect that it inspired Birds-Eye as in Siberia you can probably pick frozen peas straight from the bush. :D

I think this one inspired Birds-eye. Think of the family.


9 Nicandra physaloides. Shoo-fly. I think anyone who has ever grown this will never forget the little purple hairs that grow on the young foliage. Mine got up to nearly 6 feet last year.

There's no flies on anyone who can identify this.


10 Solanum laciniatum. A member of the potatoe family that you can't chip. And no not Smithls crisps NewbieGreen - you can chip it. :D Brilliant Pete. You got the species as well. I have it growing alongside Solanum sisymbriifolium and can't tell them apart, so the most I was hoping for was the family or genus.

You can't chip it. But I like the foliage - just give me a family name.

 

5. Kalanchoe tubiflora
6. Pennisetum sp.
7. Leonotis leonurus
.
.
?
Now these are hard! :p

 

I think Marley has nailed one and two.Dont think I would have got no1.
no 2 being eccremocarpus
no3 echium of some kind?
no4 dont know looks like some kind of aster.
no5 I should know its somthing or other tubiformis I think
no6 cyperus
no7leonotis
no 8 a pea of some kind
no9 shoo fly plant, nicandra physaloides
no 10 looks like kangaroo apple, solanum laciniatum

 

You are doing well, but I will leave it for a couple of days. You have got some clues. :D

 

10. smith?

:o

 

i've been enjoying these Id's, although others beat me to parts one and two, I knew nearly all, this lot, not a one (i got the cyperus and leonitis but only with the clues). Its good to know theres lots to learn.

 

I have just put up the answers. Thanks to everyone who took part and to all who just looked. Do have a Google, if you don't know them. And congratulations on getting so many right answers - some of these plants are fairly unusual..

I have grown all of these from seed - you don't have to just stick with what your local garden centre stocks - try something different.