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Plant ID

mandyroberts99mandyroberts99 Posts: 230
in Plants
Please can someone ID these plants.
The taller ones with white flowers I thought were Chinese Lanterns as thats where I planted my bare roots plants last year and I thought they had self seeded.

I have no idea if the smaller ones (of which there are loads) are "weeds". They are next to my lupins and aquilegia but are taking ages to become anything I can identify

Thanks

Posts

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 9,976
    Top pic has lots of Toadflax (Linaria) amongst it.
    Sometimes considered a weed, but I really like them.
    Most have spires of purple flowers, but some are pink
    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • mandyroberts99mandyroberts99 Posts: 230
    @Pete.8 - Thanks, the ground is rough on the patch just behind the main pic and I do encourage linaria there and they self seed and grow there quite happily. The ones in the pic don't look the same as the 'definite' linaria so could the seeds not be 'true' to the parent plant?
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 9,976
    I let them seed and then pull up those I don't want.
    99% are purple, but I occasionally get a pink one.
    I see a neighbour has a bright yellow one too at the end of their driveway, so I'll be nicking some seed :)
    The plants should generally come true, as they are not artificially hybridized.
    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • mandyroberts99mandyroberts99 Posts: 230
    @Pete.8 - you were right they are linaria but these are growing in a newly planted bed of good soil and look different to those growing on the rocky sandy patch (which is next to the new bed I renovated last April). They were overtaking everywhere so have now been weeded. There are loads seeding on the rough patch which is where I want them
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 9,976
    I find if the soil is too rich, they end up a bit weak and often topple over, so I think you've done the right thing. Some of mine are just coming into flower
    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 8,144
    I find that the occasional pale pink linaria tend to have finer foliage than the purple ones.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • Loraine3Loraine3 Posts: 558
    The white flower is 'Chinese Lanterns', they start green then change to orange. 
  • mandyroberts99mandyroberts99 Posts: 230
    @Loraine3: thanks, I didn't know they started white and the bare roots I planted last year in that area did really badly but obviously the seeds like it there. Are they going to try to take over? At what stage do you need to do something to avoid self seeding?
  • Loraine3Loraine3 Posts: 558
    edited July 2021
    I don't know whether they self seed, they spread by roots underground and will soon take over an area but are fairly easy to remove. You can plant in a large pot and bury in the ground or cut round the roots in autumn to restrict growth.
  • Silver surferSilver surfer Posts: 4,226
    edited July 2021
    Loraine3 said:
    The white flower is 'Chinese Lanterns', they start green then change to orange. 
    Physalis alkekengi...common name chinese lantern.
    The flowers are white.
    The seed pod is an orange balloon lantern shape.

    https://www.google.com/search?q="Physalis+alkekengi,"&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwihhOmY5sbxAhUBdBoKHfcjC3oQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq="Physalis+alkekengi,"&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQDDICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCABQ3BtYijdgjUxoAHAAeACAAWKIAbgBkgEBMpgBAKABAaoBC2d3cy13aXotaW1nwAEB&sclient=img&ei=IErgYKH0LYHoaffHrNAH&bih=577&biw=1280&rlz=1C1CHBF_enGB785GB785
    Perthshire. SCOTLAND .
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