More ID's.....please.

[patty_b]

Had such good luck finding names for my unknowns in the past, that I thought I would see if these things are familiar to any of you.
number 1 & 2 purchased in the fall clearance last year for $1. Under all the curly leaves are twisted curly branches.

3 & 4...this appear in the fall garden. Watched for sometime thinking it must be a weed. Yesterday noticed these white blooms. Is it a weed or flower?? May have come from ungerminated seeds that were left in the starter soil mix??
I reuse the mix to start marigolds to scatter around the veggie garden.

5 & 6 came from a trade of mixed salvias from Texas. Not winter hardy here in Ohio. Must have reseeded although it had not in the past. Has not bloomed yet but will be wee tiny blue flowers if frost holds off.

[Medbury Gardens]

3 & 4 look like the swan plant that monarch butterfly that lay there eggs on ???

[bitterwort]

3 and 4 are definitely a milkweed of some kind. My guess is that it's the one called "Hairy Balls" by some seed companies here in the states--for the round inflated seed pods--or "Swan Plant" elsewhere as Medbury pointed out. Thanks for posing the question--I'd never seen photos of the flowers before; they're really quite handsome!

See if your flowers and plant look like these:
http://www.metafro.be/prelude/prelud...ysocarpus3.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/vlashton/2048186369/

[Medbury Gardens]

Great name Hairy Balls, i planted 50 from seed last season but the winter here killed the lot, i know that Ohio has heavier frosts than we do so good luck hope they survive for you.
Looking at 5 &6 again, looks a little like lemon balm.

[patty_b]

Well, Hairy Balls is a real possiblity because I tried and failed to get a plant from the seeds. SO must have decided to germinated sometime over summer. It is quite pretty with the blooms. The temps hit 36 over the weekend with no frost damage but looks like the night temps are good for the rest of this week.
However, I don't think the last one is Lemon balm since I have grown it before unless there are multible types of lemon balm. I posted the pics of it because I have mostly doubted that it was a salvia but wouldn't know what else it might be. Hoping the blooms come out this week....Patty

[patty_b]

Color is just beginning to show in the salvia....you can see how tiny the blue blooms are.
The last pic is of my lemon balm which is winter hardy here but the salvia is not. Does the salvia look familiar to anyone?? Patty

[patty_b]

After looking though many pics in my google search, I am thinking this is indeed ...Salvia Tiliifolia
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...US291%26sa%3DN but can't translate.
http://images.google.com/images?hl=e...-8&sa=N&tab=wi and it did come from Texas...

Swan Plant is indeed what I have growing in the garden.
Also known as Hairy Balls and same as Oscar's Milkweed posted by VGary.

Leaving the tree that is still not named (second pic)...... Thanks, Patty
ps..How do you post the larger embedded pictures in a post?

[orflo]

This is indeed salvia tilliaefolia. This plant is one of the plants known as 'chia' (this particular one is often called tarahumara chia). The seeds are sold on Mexican markets, people ground them, add a little water, and drink it...The seeds contain omega 3 or 6 or both, I don't remember exactly. The other plants that are often sold as chia are salvia hispanicus (this one is the most common, but very late flowering, as is indeed this tilliaefolia), and salvia azurea, that seems to be early flowering, but I didn't try that one yet,
Frank

[VGary]

Patty, Just saw your post about the South African Milkweed, Oscar. I germinated seed inside at the nursery this past spring and grew a clump of eight or ten plants which averaged six plus feet.. They produced quite well and attracted the bees and wasps and butterflies every now and then. You need about 120 days to get results. I look forward to growing it again next season.
Gary

Oscar’s Milkweed Information.


Close up picture of Oscar’s Milkweed plant.
http://www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org/po...hysocarpus.php

Oscar’s Milkweed Information with Picture.
http://www.rushcreekgrowers.com/inde...l&plant_id=659
Swan Plant, Balloon Plant, Cotton-bush, Oscar, Hairy Balls, Giant Swan Milkweed http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/61453/

Johnny’s Seeds ( Oscar’s Milkweed )http://www.johnnyseeds.com/catalog/p...=169&item=1794



Oscar milkweed or asclepias (Gomphocarpus physocarpus) is grown for its colorful pods. The round pods are decorated with soft, green fuzz. The stems are well over four feet tall. They will be ready to cut in about 4½ months from the time they’re planted. http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art56493.asp

[patty_b]

VGary, I noticed the Oscar's Milkweed post after posting mine and thought the must surely be the same. Does't look like I will get to see the seed pods. It is covered with newspaper and plastic bags though the freezing days and still looks ok when I removed the covers but no sign yet of seed pods. Do you think I could lift it and bring into the garage for a few more days just to see if the seed pods will develop? The snow has been to the east of us.... I assume that it is annual?
Welcome back, we missed having you here......... Patty

[Medbury Gardens]

Patty I know someone who has had a milkweed plant growing for about 15 years,looks dead in winter but then shoots away again in spring

[VGary]

Patty, I don't know how it would do inside anything other than a hothouse. I don't know if it is considered an annual or year round plant in South Africa. I plan to cut my plants back in hopes they may sprout in the spring. I plan to germinate some in the spring as well. I offered to dig my clump up for the nursery where I volunteer but they have one in the hothouse there loaded with seed pods.
Gary