Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

Plant Identification => Plant Identification Questions and Answers => Topic started by: reifuan on July 13, 2017, 03:57:49 PM

Title: mistery prickly plant
Post by: reifuan on July 13, 2017, 03:57:49 PM

any ideas as to what this might be?

Title: Re: mistery prickly plant
Post by: Carolyn on July 13, 2017, 08:02:48 PM

The leaves look as if they might be a solanum of some kind, perhaps. The only solanum which I can think of which has prickles is the aubergine, which can be quite painful to harvest. The leaves are not aubergine though...
This might give you a starting point in your search!

Title: Re: mistery prickly plant
Post by: Matt T on July 13, 2017, 10:48:10 PM

The leaves remind me of Leonurus cardiaca (Motherwort or Heartwort), which is a labiate. It is also spiny on the inflorescence, but not as prickly as the plant you show. Could be another avenue to try.

Title: Re: mistery prickly plant
Post by: Jupiter on July 14, 2017, 12:29:48 AM

It looks very much like some of the Aust. native solanum. Have you been buying "bush tomatoes", Australian bush tucker product, and spreading them around your garden?

Jamus

Title: Re: mistery prickly plant
Post by: reifuan on July 14, 2017, 09:06:38 AM

Found it! It's Xanthium spinosum, apparently.

Title: Re: mistery prickly plant
Post by: Maggi Young on July 14, 2017, 10:47:03 AM

Regarded widely as a noxious weed, with seedlings being especially toxic to livestock -  according to the 'net.