Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

General Subjects => General Forum => Topic started by: Giles on September 07, 2015, 04:06:32 PM

Title: Puzzles 2015.
Post by: Giles on September 07, 2015, 04:06:32 PM
It must be ages since we last had a puzzle: so see what you can make of this.
Listed in the AGS Encyclopaedia as a plant suitable for the rock garden.
Title: Re: Puzzles 2015.
Post by: Hoy on September 07, 2015, 05:14:33 PM
I have never seen a Taxus like that, but can it be T. baccata 'Amersfoort'?
Title: Re: Puzzles 2015.
Post by: Giles on September 07, 2015, 05:54:16 PM
...I thought it would keep you guessing for ages !
It is indeed Taxus baccata 'Amersfoort'
It was found growing in the grounds of a Dutch psychiatric hospital (of the same name) and was initially classified as a Podocarpus.
..but indeed, it a cultivar of the UK native yew.
I didn't think anyone would get it, even with a picture of the whole plant, as it doesn't look like yew at all.
(..grumble, grumble,  ..I must try harder next time....)
Title: Re: Puzzles 2015.
Post by: Hoy on September 07, 2015, 06:07:47 PM
Giles, I have several normal yews in my garden and although I don't have this type the bark and the leaves looked very familiar ;)
Title: Re: Puzzles 2015.
Post by: Maggi Young on September 07, 2015, 06:42:26 PM
If it is any comfort  to you Giles- I still would have no idea what it might be. I'd NEVER have thought Taxus!  :-[
Title: Re: Puzzles 2015.
Post by: Maggi Young on September 07, 2015, 06:49:24 PM
Just tried Ian with your original photo  - his best guess was Honckenya peploides :-X
Title: Re: Puzzles 2015.
Post by: Neil on September 07, 2015, 09:15:08 PM
My Dad has this growing in his garden for the last 30 years, its about 150cm tall now and has had no pruning in all that time.
Title: Re: Puzzles 2015.
Post by: Maggi Young on September 07, 2015, 11:02:56 PM
My Dad has this growing in his garden for the last 30 years, its about 150cm tall now and has had no pruning in all that time.
Well I never!
Title: Re: Puzzles 2015.
Post by: Rick R. on September 08, 2015, 01:39:24 AM
Like all the Taxus, it roots quite easily, too.  I've never noticed any of that weird stem growth like in your original photo, but stems are thicker than what would seem normal.
One year cutting:

[attachimg=1]
Title: Re: Puzzles 2015.
Post by: Giles on September 08, 2015, 09:37:10 AM
..whilst we're on the subject, this is another good miniature yew, putting on only about  1cm of growth each year.
I feel it's a bit 'blobby', but it's trouble free.

Taxus baccata 'Green Diamond'
Title: Re: Puzzles 2015.
Post by: Hoy on September 14, 2015, 09:57:36 PM
Not a garden plant but a weed! Do you recognize it?

Title: Re: Puzzles 2015.
Post by: Chris Johnson on September 15, 2015, 08:01:59 AM
Rather mischievous showing a tiny, barely focused image.  ;)
Title: Re: Puzzles 2015.
Post by: ian mcdonald on September 15, 2015, 03:45:42 PM
The leaves look like a Sonchus. Is it a UK native?
Title: Re: Puzzles 2015.
Post by: Maggi Young on September 15, 2015, 03:52:26 PM
Sonchus asper with rain in the opening flowers?
Title: Re: Puzzles 2015.
Post by: johnralphcarpenter on September 15, 2015, 03:53:47 PM
Ah, sowthistle!
Title: Re: Puzzles 2015.
Post by: ian mcdonald on September 15, 2015, 04:05:07 PM
It could be S. arvensis. This is a late flowerer. I always think that summer is almost over when I see it in flower. Many plants in flower now in our area.
Title: Re: Puzzles 2015.
Post by: Hoy on September 15, 2015, 06:55:14 PM
Rather mischievous showing a tiny, barely focused image.  ;)

Sorry Chris ;) It was a rainy early morning!
Title: Re: Puzzles 2015.
Post by: Hoy on September 15, 2015, 06:58:56 PM
The leaves look like a Sonchus. Is it a UK native?

Yes!

Sonchus asper with rain in the opening flowers?

[attachimg=1]


(http://files.leagueathletics.com/Images/Club/6696/star%20student.jpg)
Title: Re: Puzzles 2015.
Post by: ian mcdonald on September 15, 2015, 08:10:14 PM
Any idea of this one?
Title: Re: Puzzles 2015.
Post by: Hoy on September 15, 2015, 08:21:44 PM
A malformed Helleborus foetidus?
Title: Re: Puzzles 2015.
Post by: ian mcdonald on September 15, 2015, 09:43:04 PM
Sorry, no.
Title: Re: Puzzles 2015.
Post by: Matt T on September 15, 2015, 10:42:00 PM
Osier, Salix viminalis?
Title: Re: Puzzles 2015.
Post by: Rick R. on September 16, 2015, 12:28:05 AM
A gall formation?
Title: Re: Puzzles 2015.
Post by: Lori S. on September 16, 2015, 05:19:49 AM
Sure does look like a salix, Matt.  Is it a fungal disease causing a sort of a pseudo-flower?  I see what I think is a similar thing happen to various Brassicaeae (Draba spp. and Smelowskia calycina) in the wild when they are affected by rust.
Title: Re: Puzzles 2015.
Post by: ian mcdonald on September 24, 2015, 10:10:29 PM
It is an artichoke gall on white willow.
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