What's he growing in there?

April 6, 2009 12:26 PM

Can you identify this plant? The soil used for the flowerbed came from the compost bin, so it could be any number of vegetables -- I just don't recognize it.

Any of the ideas I've had (tomato, pepper) have sort of been ruled out by doing some searching, so I'm hoping someone here can figure it out. I wouldn't be terribly upset if you told me it was some kind of weed, but I think since it came from the compost and it's the only one of its kind in the yard, it might be something interesting. Thanks in advance for any help.

posted by waitangi to Home & Garden (14 answers total)

Definitely not a tomato or pepper, I'm leaning towards a weed... but what other produce would have been in the composter?
posted by jerseygirl at 12:35 PM on April 6, 2009

You may get help by adding this to the ID Please Flickr group.
posted by cda at 12:36 PM on April 6, 2009

Looks like a weed to me - always seem to get a couple of those big suckers in any garden I'm tending. Almost like grass, even a very small stalk of corn.
posted by billysumday at 12:39 PM on April 6, 2009

Does it have little prickers along the margins of the leaves? It's hard to tell, but it looks to me like it might be an immature thistle. If it is, KILL IT WITH FIRE.
posted by pullayup at 12:47 PM on April 6, 2009

Looks like an almond seedling. And I see you're in Oakland -- if it wasn't in your compost, it was likely planted by a squirrel or jay. Pull it up and see if there's a nut attached.
posted by mudpuppie at 1:06 PM on April 6, 2009

I definitely recognize it, and I definitely remember it being a weed. Also, from what I remember, it attracts aphids like no one's business.

But maybe I'm wrong? If it doesn't hurt you, why not leave it and wait to see if it blooms? It doesn't look to be terribly invasive to me (looks like it would have that typical monocot taproot system)
posted by OrangeDrink at 1:15 PM on April 6, 2009

It's a weed.
posted by thebazilist at 1:43 PM on April 6, 2009

Agreed it's a weed. It could be mustard or an immature thistle. Or this thing
posted by fiercekitten at 2:01 PM on April 6, 2009

Maybe someone from myFolia's What's My Plant could help?
posted by quatsch at 2:23 PM on April 6, 2009

Best answer: Finally found pictures of almond seedlings. I've pulled enough of these out of my yard to be convinced.
posted by mudpuppie at 2:33 PM on April 6, 2009

Response by poster: Thanks for the answers, I am also leaning more towards weed now, but I am going to move it to a pot just because I'm curious.
posted by waitangi at 2:51 PM on April 6, 2009

at first look I thought a weed too. but then again after looking closer it looks like it might be Veronica.
posted by Taurid at 3:23 PM on April 6, 2009

Is it a little fuzzy before it gets to that height? It really looks like a Jerusalem artichoke.

Some say they're good eating; I'd never know 'cause I wouldn't eat the filthy motherfucker. KILL IT WITH FIRE.

Once established--and that doesn't take long--you'll dig up one, turn around and dig up another, then turn back to the first one and there will be TEN MORE. If you want anything else to grow anywhere on your block ever, get it out now.

Seriously, there's something out of Doctor Who living in the garden. If it's still there this spring, I may be ready for a lunatic asylum. Beastly.
posted by mimi at 4:16 PM on April 6, 2009

Response by poster: I finally pulled it up, and mudpuppie had it -- an almond! Thanks for your great identification skills!
posted by waitangi at 7:44 PM on April 10, 2009