Can you identify this garden plant?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by AlexConx on May 19, 2021 at 13:57

Teasel leaves

Permalink Reply by Jeremy Bevan on May 19, 2021 at 13:58

Seems to be a Teasel, https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/5959/Dipsacus-fullonum/Details

https://wildflowerfinder.org.uk/Flowers/T/Teasel(Wild)/Teasel(Wild)...

Permalink Reply by Sophie Smith on May 19, 2021 at 13:58

Looks like primrose (primula) to me.

Permalink Reply by Jeremy Bevan on May 19, 2021 at 14:08

I thought that but they don't have spines in the leaves

Permalink Reply by David Solomon on May 19, 2021 at 14:34

I don't think it's Teasel (Dipsacus fullonum) Teasel leaves are much more pointed: 

https://www.ispotnature.org/communities/uk-and-ireland/view/observa...

The upper surface of the leaves looks very like Bristly Oxtongue, Picris echioides but the upper leaves of that, at least are pointed (what you have here are the rosette leaves, which can be different, and I can't find a pic of those). I any case Picris is not a garden plant, so I don't know. Wait till it flowers, then it should be much easier to identify  

Permalink Reply by Harringay 4eva on May 19, 2021 at 15:45

I’m guessing it’s spearmint. Have you rubbed & sniffed the leaves?

Permalink Reply by Mig G on May 19, 2021 at 15:51

To me it looks like very much like the weed bristly oxtongue which I am forever removing at the allotment!

Permalink Reply by Hugh on May 19, 2021 at 18:10

Thank you all. I thinks the teasel vote has it.

A picture on the Highbury Wildlife Garden website shows a plant with leaves of a shape that closely resembles those on the one I have, but perhpas a little less spiky on this case.

The donors have just planted a wildflower meadow. So this makes sense. 

They look great when mature and are loved by bees, but apparently can be quite invasive. So I'm not sure about planting these!