Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with flower

Can you identify this plant that's taking over my yard?

Mayor Curley — Fri, 03 May 2013 04:56:52 -0800

If my yard is France, this rhizome is Germany. It's between one and two feet tall when fully grown, and produces a single, smallish dark pink flower. Photo here. Yard is just outside Boston, MA. The leaves are creased down the center, and the plant doesn't have much of a smell when broken. When it first emerges it looks a lot like an iris plant, except that it's a couple shades lighter green and the leaves have that crease. It spreads very quickly through a dense web of roots and rhizomes and is so tenacious that it will grow through asphalt.

A few years ago we had bunches here and there and thought they were pretty enough to not mess with. Now they're everywhere and it's clear that I have to control them.

Let me know if there's more I can tell you. Thanks!

Seeking suitable plants for an awkward flower bed, zone 8a.

reverend cuttle — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 13:45:53 -0800

My flower bed gets full sun in Summer, full shade in Winter, and plenty of dog pee. What can I plant? I have an awkward flower bed (approx 8'x12') up against the north side of our house (in a fenced backyard). It gets full sun in the summer, and is fully in the shade of the house when the sun is low during the winter months. The bed also is a favorite place for our dog to pee. We are in Central North Carolina, zone 8a. Soil is sandy clay, slightly acidic.

I would like to plant something that's cheery and relatively maintenance free here. Small trees, shrubs, and ground covers are all options.
-Evergreen is preferable to deciduous
-Bright foliage is preferable to dark foliage
-Flowering is preferable to non flowering
-Perennial is preferable to annual

Things I and my dog have killed in this bed:
azalea, rhododendron, coral bells, loropetalum, japanese holly

Thing that has thrived in this bed:
common japanese maple, acer palmatum (now too large for the bed, given the proximity to the house, and will be moved)

My only idea is to plant an Summertime bed of varying sizes of lantana. But Id like other suggestions, especially for other seasons. Thanks!

It smells so nice, what is it?

fancyoats — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 13:37:25 -0800

Help me identify this houseplant, please. The first pic is of its flower, which is yellow and very fragrant and pleasant-smelling. The second pic is of a group of plants, but the plant in question is on the floor, in the back row, the middle plant of the three. It has long, straight, thick stems, with large, smooth, alternating leaves. The flower is at the end of the stem, and both stems have buds, though only one stem's bud has begun to open. This is the first time it has ever flowered in the several years I have had it. I keep it on the patio in the summer and bring it into my kitchen for the winter, and noticed it beginning to flower when I brought it inside a week ago. It must be happy, otherwise it wouldn't have flowered. But what is it?

What is this style of ring and what is it made out of?

Submiqent — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 09:58:22 -0800

Jewelry Filter: What is this style of ring and what is it made out of? Flowers made out of some seemly synthetic or plastic. http://www.jewelmint.com/jewelry/pretty-posies-ring

What's the flower fitting called? Are the flowers or any form of intricate fittings made in gemstone?
Are there more expensive versions of these, in necklace form maybe?

Sorry I don't know anything about jewelry.
Thanks for reading :)

Invasion of the Pod Plant... What is it?

ROTFL — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 19:01:27 -0800

What is this odd, spindly, fern-leaved flower with giant pods? It's growing in a sunny location half under a hydrangea in Zone 7A of the northeastern US.

What flowers by the path?

zadcat — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 11:02:21 -0800

What garden flowers are these, planted in a garden in the Netherlands? My sister lives in the NL and says she planted these flowers but does not remember what they are. Anyone know the English or Dutch name for them?

I was scared I'd actually get Fire Power. I wouldn't know what to do with that kind of superiority.

TooFewShoes — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 15:58:44 -0800

Was I hallucinating? When I was a little kid in Army housing in Bamberg, Germany I saw a "Fire Flower" while I was out playing. Any help would be appreciated. It looked like a Fire Flower from Super Mario Bros. I told my mom who of course patted me on the head and rolled her eyes.

I really did see something though. It was flat, red, and about a foot and a half off the ground. The fuzzy picture in my memory makes it seem vaguely pizza looking. I was warned away from touching all kinds of odd plants, so I didn't get very close or study it.

Is there any fungus or flower in that area of the world that has a similar look? This has been bugging me for a really long time and I'd like to solve the mystery once and for all.

What kind of flower is this?

BurnChao — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 13:59:00 -0800

Help me identify this flower. We regularly plant potatoes in this pot, and grow them as long as we can manage to keep them alive in the desert. 1-2 months ago we planted another potato, but this grew instead. It looks nothing like any of the other potatoes we've grown. What is it?

Large Red Flower identification

la_rousse — Fri, 18 May 2012 03:36:58 -0800

Flower identification: What is this large red flower? A picture of the plant. Found in a Massachusetts garden.

Why don't African violets propagate "true"?

fiercecupcake — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:15:22 -0800

Why do African violets not propagate "true," in regards to color patterns? I love African violets and have grown them for years. They're the only plant I seem to be able to keep alive. I have recently had success rooting both the suckers from established violets and the crowns cut off of old, leggy ones.

What I don't really understand is why, if I take the sucker or crown off a plant, when the newly rooted one flowers it will have a different color pattern. For example: I took a pretty large sucker off my geneva violet (purple flowers with white edges) and now that sucker's flowering, and they're white with purple edges.

I have found many, many websites about propagating violets, and about all I can understand from these is that yes, this is the way it works. But why? Are suckers chimeras? I've never gotten a leaf cutting to root, but do THOSE propagate true? Seeds would, right, if they ever made seeds?

Assume that I have very, very little knowledge of plants (I kill everything else!), and only a little of genetics. Pea plants and dominant/recessive, yes; cat coat colors, not really. What I need is an explanation for someone who knows nothing about gardening but loves her violets.

Fuss-free bouquet to Tokyo?

runincircles — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 02:17:11 -0800

What happens when flowers are delivered to private houses in Tokyo? I want to send flowers (unnanounced) to a friend in Tokyo, from where I am in Europe, via an online service like Interflora. But I would like to be sure first that this very probably won't cause my friend any hassle, such as having to stay in to wait for a delivery date or go somewhere else to pick them up, should she not be in when they come. She is in a normal family flat in a fairly central district. Does anyone please know if there are any particular modalities about flower delivery in Japan I should be aware of?

What flower is this?

at the crossroads — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 20:15:49 -0800

FlowerFilter: What are these small white flowers? I recognize the hyacinths and daffodils, but what are these small white flowers? They are in a bed, so I assume they were planted there intentionally, not volunteers. Thanks!

I'm looking for this prairie flower...

Skyanth — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 09:30:33 -0800

In the book I'm translating, the author lists a number of wildflowers. I need to find the botanic name of one of them, but he (or his agent) doesn't reply to my questions. Here's hoping AskMe can help. "The prairie was covered with wildflowers: bluestem and Indian grass, shooting stars and blazing stars, heartbeats, Golden Alexander, pale-purple cornflower, death camas, butterfly milkweed, and rattlesnake master."

I need help with these 'heartbeats'. With a name like that, Google isn't much help. If it helps, the place is Thornton, Iowa.

I'm looking for the latin name, or perhaps an alternative english name I can search for.

What is this pungent, purple flower that has petals like tiny orchards?

watercarrier — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 04:12:52 -0800

It's growing wild. Smells very unique - hard to put down exactly but some far away notes of maybe oregano/nasturtium - but that's just a guess. The whole plant/flower is soft. It grows among the thistles, tall grasses and other assortments including nettles and cleavers. The flower itself is a pink/purple with white streaks. Photos Here

What is this flower?

elisse — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 02:17:00 -0800

Help! Another flower identification question... I've seen this flower around in Southern California and now in south China. Can anyone tell me what it is? Thanks in advance!

Houseplant mystery #999

Currer Belfry — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 15:01:25 -0800

Yet another mystery houseplant... images inside. I bought a pretty, unlabeled houseplant this weekend. When I asked the store clerk what it was, she gave me an answer which didn't make much sense after I got home and Googled it. So I'm turning to the hive for help.

Picture 1
Picture 2

Can you name that houseplant? Thanks.

Please, don't let her have a reason to destroy me...

RolandOfEld — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 08:08:01 -0800

What are some good plants to place in our wedding garden? We've recently joined a community garden a few miles away and are hoping to use the plot to grow our own flowers / ornamental for our beach wedding this upcoming Memorial Day. The plot: I'm in northern Florida (Hardiness zone 9, borderline 10) and the plot will be irrigated with drip tape and receives plenty of direct sunlight (full sun all day long). The surrounding plots will be mostly veggies and the soil will have been freshly double dug (what a work out, but I think it's worth it).

The couple: We're simple people doing a beach wedding at a large beach house. However, the soon to be Ms. Eld wants things to be nice. We're also on a budget, environmentally conscious, and I have a bit of a green thumb when it comes to veggies/peppers/etc. so the 'grow your own' thing really fits us. However, one of the skills I'm still lacking is the ability to time/plan my plantings/starts and/or select appropriate varieties. This is where y'all come in! Please help me select varieties/flower/plant types and time the planting such that I can harvest blooming flowers around memorial day.

Again, we're not expecting award winning orchids that have a one day window of blooming or something, just simple flowers that'll meet the following criteria, in order of importance:

A) are able to be grown by mortals like us, where we are.
B) will hold up to a car ride and a harvest up to a few days before the event, more margin of safety here is better. Blooms are great, but cool plant/greenery is ok too.
C) will look nice.

Mystery shrub

reverend cuttle — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 16:55:21 -0800

What kind of shrub is this? Additional information:
-planted in Zone 8a (North Carolina)
-size: approx. 4'x4'
-deciduous
-blooms in mid-late Summer

Botonists! Horticulturists! Lend me your brains.....

numinous — Tue, 03 May 2011 14:38:03 -0800

[Flower-Identification-Filter] Please help me identify this flowering plant, and save me from making a blunder in etiquette! I received this lovely potted plant as a gift last week, and am working on writing out a 'Thank You' card. I'd like to reference the actual plant in the card, however I can't seem to recall the name of the plant itself. It does not help that blurry little name card in the photo is making a mockery of my ignorance.

Hivemind, I implore you: to share your botanical knowledge, and help this brown-thumbed mefite win the affections of her colleagues!

What is this flower's name?

nancoix — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 10:33:45 -0800

Tropical Botanist Filter - What is the name of this flower (or name of plant) that we took photo of in Costa Rica? Thanks!

Help me identify this flower

shoesfullofdust — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 18:19:09 -0800

Help me identify this flower. Spotted in northern Quebec (near Tadoussac) in early July. It appeared to be the last blossom, so I would guess that it blossoms in late spring. Relatively common woodland flower. I remember it from childhood, but I don't have a name for it. Bonus points and a hug for a French name.

What flower is this?

byrleyar — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 17:40:21 -0800

What kind of flower is this? You water the plant by pouring water down the center "stem," and the plant just drinks in the water as it needs it. We are in the DC metro area, if that matters.

I love you for answering this question.

Can you identify this flower?

amro — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 13:29:15 -0800

What kind of flower is this? Another photo here. Photographed today in central New Jersey.

I planted sunflowers and all I got was these

media_itoku — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 07:55:23 -0800

What is this plant? My new flower bed has these monstrosities growing in it. At first I thought they were some kind of squash. But then they got tall -- really tall -- and I decided they must be sunflowers (since I had planted some seeds). They've grown small single orange/yellow flowers on the undersides of the leaves.

The leaves look like Empress Tree (pawlonia) but the flowers are wrong, and the stems are not as weedy. They've just about hit 4 feet now. Help!

Here. Here. Here. And here.

Name that shrub

bonsai forest — Wed, 19 May 2010 10:06:11 -0800

Hi, can anyone please identify this flower/shrub? It's in Northern Virginia, and I took the picture a few days ago.