Is this Centhrantus ruber or Valeriana officinalis?
By Katarina
- 15 Dec, 2012
- 7 likes
I am not sure which one is this. I found it in a high altitude in the mountains during August.
Comments on this photo
very nice Kat, i would say it looks more like the Valeriana but the stems look different :-)
15 Dec, 2012
Slad@yes, Sticki also guessed Valeriana, but still- those leaves are confusing.
15 Dec, 2012
it is a puzzle :-)
15 Dec, 2012
Is it a srub Katarina?. Leaves remind me of Olearia macrodonta.
15 Dec, 2012
No, it is not a shrub. It is plant cca 40 cm high. And it has different flowers. Definitely, these are dark pink.
15 Dec, 2012
Have you found out what exactly this plant is Katarina?
I find it attractive.
18 Dec, 2012
No, I didn´t find it and until now any of GoYers who read this :)) Will put it on Gardening questions, probably there somebody might know.
18 Dec, 2012
You have a few answers on the Q but there is no photo there. I know you have put a link but its easier for members to give quick answers if they can see what you are asking about without having to move from page to page.
19 Dec, 2012
Scotsgran@thank you, but they answered in spite of the link. Unfortunately, any definite conclusion, yet. I wonder, where is Bamboo. She might know.
19 Dec, 2012
The flower heads remind me very much of sedum.
20 Dec, 2012
Do you have any other photos of this plant which might help us to id it.
20 Dec, 2012
I would say definitely a sedum Kat, if you check out Beth Chattos sedum plants, this is very similar to 'Brilliant'.......many of the large leafed Sedums have serrated fleshy leaves, have a look at 'Carl' too. I would suspect the heavily serrated leaves of this wild one defend the plant against foraging animals. Most of our garden varieties originated in the wild and have adapted to less extreme conditions.
20 Dec, 2012
Katarina mentioned that it is not sedum. A Sedum should be easily recognizable because of the succulent foliage .The leaves in the picture do not look that of succulent nature. Or are they?.
In any case I found it an attractive plant because of the holly-like leaves and small sedum like florets.
How do you say a "mystery plant" in Latin?
20 Dec, 2012
Oh right Klahanie, I think the leaves aren't as fleshy as the ones we're used to here, but then would a high altitude plant need fleshy leaves, I wouldn't have thought so......I still feel it is a type of Sedum though....:))
20 Dec, 2012
I simply do not know, Janey. It is obviously a attractive wild flower according to where she found it. And you are right that the character of the plant resemble the sedum (the most).
I do not have a better answer. So we leave it to be sedum. :-))))) (for now) :-))))
I hoped not to be sedum as they are loved by deer (oh, not again).
Take care and Happy holiday
20 Dec, 2012
Good evening,
finally I found photos of Valeriana leaves and they resemble to the one above.
http://www.prlog.org/10720285-valerian-latin-name-valeriana-officinalis-drpati-abhay-kumar.html
So far, I am most prone to think that it is Valeriana. Now when I read this article, it came into my mind that while I was resting close to this herb in August, I smelled a very bad odour, thinking it is s.... somewhere. So another recognition sign for Valeriana. Lol. I am happy we are solving the enigma of this plant. I liked it and I hope you did, too.
20 Dec, 2012
http://www.growsonyou.com/photo/slideshow/261798-valerian-for-katarina/all
20 Dec, 2012
Yes, TT, thank you, I saw it, but in that link the photo isn´t the most educative, as leaves are partly rolled in.
20 Dec, 2012
Hi Kat... I wasn't sure if you'd seen it.
20 Dec, 2012
I had a look at the link you have given Katarina and the flowers are white on that photo.
20 Dec, 2012
Hi Katarina, I am not convinced that it is the same plant. To me the leaf structure looks completely different . The one on your picture looks more like sedum and the one in your link have a shape of "walnut" leaf or acacia. Sort of.Except it has some teeth.The individual leaflets may be similar but the leaf itself has completely different character. And so does the stem.
Completely different to my eye.
I think we still have a mystery :-)
20 Dec, 2012
Ha ha Katarina, yes the Valerian emits the most dreadful stink! I have plenty of it in my garden and made the mistake of cutting some for the house a few years ago. I had no idea it smelled so bad! The flowers aren't like Valerian though, they are identical to my Sedums.
20 Dec, 2012
OK. So enigma is still there. I don´t call "Merlin, where are you?", but "Brian, where are you? Cut the Gordian knot, please."
20 Dec, 2012
Or try Hywel . He is well read on wild flowers.
21 Dec, 2012
I looked up valerian again. I found a Wikipedia result. If you scroll down the page there is a 19th century illustration which shows the flower and stems. Maybe you can discount valerian if you compare it with what you found.
6 Oct, 2013
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valerian_(herb)
link I read.
6 Oct, 2013
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Thats Odd Kat , over here neither of those have that Holly type leaf ... it will be intersting to see if anyone can tell you what it is !
15 Dec, 2012