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Can anyone identify this?

Gillian

By Gillian

14 comments


I have been trying without success to identify this little flower that grew from my packet of ‘Old Fashioned Flower Garden Mix’ seeds.

I wondered if it was a type of scabious, but really have no idea and it’s annoying me not knowing!
It must be an annual and it started flowering at the end of June.
Can anyone help please?

Incidentally, the plants I was trying to identify earlier in the year definitely look like deadly nightshade and goldenrod now they are bigger (I still have them in pots just to see!)

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Comments

 

Think you on right lines with scabious,Gillian try google scabious devils bit what you think?

1 Jul, 2008

 

It's a Sheep's-bit (the Latin name is jasione).

1 Jul, 2008

 

Mmm well thought may be sheeps bit but flower head less compact on this and stamens very much longer -

1 Jul, 2008

 

Checking out images online I think Devil's Bit Scabious could be it. I actually emailed McKenzie seeds as well to ask them what it might be, since it was their seed packet!
We'll wait and see what they come up with!

1 Jul, 2008

 

Check the leaves too - the scabious and Sheep-bit have different ones so that may help the identification

2 Jul, 2008

 

Most of the images I found didn't show the leaves unfortunately, that's what I was looking for too.
In the second picture above you can see they look very fern-like.

2 Jul, 2008

 

The leaves of Devil's-bit scabious are usually entire but there is also Small Scabious (scabiosa columbaria) with pinnate leaves which is widespread in Britain

2 Jul, 2008

 

I checked out pictures of scabiosa columbaria and the ones I found showed it more like the regular scabious with the daisy type petals around the centre. It's entirely possille of course that it is a variation of that.

2 Jul, 2008

 

Just heard back from McKenzie seeds that they will be sending me a list of their seed packet contents!

2 Jul, 2008

 

I can now say with confidence that this is Phacelia tansy (Phacelia tanacetifolia) - thank you McKenzie seeds!
I have the entire list now of my packet contents.

3 Jul, 2008

 

And .......?
Do tell what we may expect to see :-)

5 Jul, 2008

 

That's just what I did, Marguerite, for the ones I was not familiar with, and so now I know what I might expect.
I'm having fun with the mixed seeds, might try a different mix next year and see what I get! I believe they do a butterfly mix which could be fun.

6 Jul, 2008

 

Delayed in visiting, but my first guess would have been phacelia as well. If the leaves are somewhat coarse and hairy and bees enjoy it, then it is a good possibility. Can be invasive esp. in dry wretched soils. It is a survivor.

There are some American S.W. natives that are quite beautiful.

11 Dec, 2008

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