Plant identifier please
crazyshrink
Posts: 4
in Plants
Can anyone help please. The first pic; I have a lot of these in my border and wonder if they will ever look better than this? Should I leave them and does anyone know if they 'do' anything other than look as ugly as they do now. I have a lot of space to fill so if they are worth leaving I will.
The second pic; these had lovely yellow flowers with small blackish brown centres. If I prune them down will they come back next summer or again shall I pull them up?
Any answers much appreciated. Jan
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Posts
Hi Jan,
What I do with things that I've inherited is to pot up a portion of it and see what it does under ideal conditions. I've found Bearded Iris and Nerines in my garden by doing this. What I found was that they (the particular ones I found) were either crowded where they were or not in a sunny enough position to flower.
The second ones might be Rudbeckias? I would leave the tops on over the winter to protect the crowns then cut them down next spring to tidy them up and let the new growth come through. Rudbeckias are perennial but can be frosted in a harsh winter in my experience.
My eyes may be failing me, but I believe there are two sprawling plants in the first picture, a dying-for-the-winter heuchera, and a drowning-in-the-former's-leaves hardy geranium...
The first photo looks like Viola Odorata, the sweet Violet. They can spread around quite easily especially on semi shaded areas. If you wait till Spring, there may be mauve or white small flowers.
I nearly suggested viola, quite mildewed but couldn't be sure. I think the geranium looking leaf might be that or a weed that I don't know the name of. Is this patch under a hedge crazyshrink?
In pic 1 there is def a geranium type leaf and an aquilegia. Are the mildewed leaves a brunnera? The ferny type leaves - anemone?
Thank you all, this is so helpful.
After googling pics from the names you mentioned the mildewed looking plant is heuchera. There are Geraniums everywhere but they don't flower?
The other I believe is as you say - Rudbeckia
So it looks as though both can be cut back in Spring
Rudbekia for second one.i cut mine back today as it flops in winter.it can be invasive too
<fingers crossed> my rudbeckia becomes invasive. At the moment it's just making it through the winter in a sunny but somewhat exposed site. New bed beyond may change this environment.
I allow mine to romp.in fact i am going to move some to spread elsewhere.when you have big clumps you can chelsea chop some in layers to extend flowering