I'm pretty sure it's Cannabis - marijuana. It's illegal for me to grow this.

No way is it Cannabis, you've obviously not seen it growing, so no slap on the hand for you Bathgate! Though I'll admit it did give me pause initially, but cannabis would be a few feet tall by now, not broad and low as this is, with thinner textured leaves and a paler colour. If it's cannabis, I'd be buying my train ticket right now, my arthritis could do with a bit of quietening down...

I believe its Helleborus foetidus, and it obviously loves its situation, its growing extremely well - check by going to the link below and scroll down on the left to see the second picture down for the foliage:-

http://www.aphotoflora.com/d_helleborus_foetidus_stinking_hellebore.html

Most pics only show the flower, which isn't much use to you currently. Info about the plant generally here:

https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/details?plantid=3063

Flowers winter/very early spring... and not suitable for smoking or making cookies with in any way at all, its toxic if ingested;-))

LOL!

Hi, agree with Bamboo, Heleborus foetidus, Derek.

By the way, Bathgate, it's illegal to grow it here too...

Haha. I found a few pots of cannabis growing in my local park. I brought 2 pots home and they made my conservatory smell devine.

As i don't use it, i gave them to someone who did and they were pretty good....apparently !!!!

Blimey, where do you live Badfish - in the local park, unbelievable...

Helleborus foetidus. Greenish flowers with a red tinged edge. I like it but it can seed around a bit.

It's not illegal in all parts of US. Sometimes it's prescribed medicinally.

Wow - hello there I thought I was in the cash for a moment -!! - and then I thought blue lights flashing on the driveway - !! Thanks for all your help anyway your right Bathgate - it would have course have been medicinal and would have helped Bamboo with the arthritis - thanks for the links Bamboo and I have looked it up in my RHS encyclopedia - it appears to be a bit of a shady customer - with a few unsociable tendencies - and Bulbaholic it is huge - so I don't want it to seed around !! I had already given it a gypsy warning - telling it that it had better flower - or change colour or something or it was out !! Derekm and Badfish thanks for your help - Badfish I don't think we have any down the local park here but who knows I will keep a look out -Jane - thanks for all your comments

You must have wondered why you got so many 'answers' Jane...

Bathgate, I'm well aware cannabis has been legalised in some States over there... keep waiting for it to be legalised everywhere, but for medicinal use only, I stress. Why anyone would take it for fun is beyond me... but then I'm a control freak!

Be careful when pruning it or even just working near it Jane as it can cause terrible blisters, look like burns and take a long time to heal, I know that from personal experience..

H. foetidus is nothing like the thug some members are implying! Just remove the seed heads if you don't want seedlings. In my view there are far worse perennials! As to pruning, wear gardening gloves if you are worried but neither Bulba nor self has had any problem with.

Then thank yourself lucky M'g, it was very nasty and as I said took a long time to heal..By the way I was not pruning it I was working near it and only brushed against it...

Well Linclass I shall tred very carefully so to speak and wear my gloves at all times - I still don't know whether I bought it or whether it has dropped by and decided to stay -The CGS meetings start in our village in September and I shall make some enquiries as to whether I bought it off a stall last season - I shall surely keep you informed - it is all very cloak and dagger - and Moon growe - I shall give the plant the benefit of the doubt - it stays for the short term !! - Jane

I kept it Jane because I do like it, especially in the winter when covered in frost, however I did move it to a safer place so it didn't catch me or anyone else...

It is more of a biennial or short lived perennial than a long term plant. If you want to keep it then you do need to let at least one flower go to seed.

Lincslass and owdbody I have mixed feelings about the plant and think it is most probably for the chop I know that is a bit harsh !!

We have dozens of them scattered around the woodland areas where little else grows and despite pulling up seedlings by the thousand neither of us have ever been affected by the sap.
I like them in that they flower at a time when there is little else about.

Well owdbody perhaps I will give it a chance !! Jane

Agree with Owdb. Bulba and I have pulled up hundreds and hundreds of seedlings with no ill effects. However, if you are worried simply wear gardening gloves, something I don't even have :)

Moon grower I am terrible with gloves I am always losing them so I keep all my odd ones for gardening very resourceful the plants are big I shall probably not get all the roots and the plants will live to grow again !!

As I said Jane I still have my plants but I work around them very carefully, if you are still unsure then read about it, all the info is easy to find,lets face it if we look them up then I dare say we all have plants that are on the Beware List but it does not stop us growing them, I have rarely worn gloves in the past but now I'm going to have to and know for a fact that I will not like them, going to be a case of self preservation, lol....