Forum home Plants

Identification

CharityCharity Posts: 6

Can anyone tell me what this plant is please which is growing fast in my border.  Its currently about two feet high and has several buds on the top. 

image

Posts

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,391

    The leaves look like annual delphinium (larkspur.)

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • CharityCharity Posts: 6

    Thank you for your reply.  I read your answer somewhat with a sigh of relief as someone had told me they thought it was Monkshood which I know is highly poisonous to humans and animals.  However, having looked up Larkspur, and it certainly does seem it is that, I see it is the same aconite family and poisonous to animals. As I have pets, I try to keep my garden as free of toxic plants as I can.  Such a shame as they are beautiful. Sadly, it will have to go before or after flowering as it has self seeded in totally the wrong place in the garden.  image

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,743

    Charity, please don't panic about Monkshood. It's poisonous yes, but so are rhubarb leaves. 

    Devon.
  • Dave MorganDave Morgan Posts: 3,123

    Charity so much is poisonous in the average garden that if we all worried about it gardens would be either paved or grass. Animals won't touch poisonous plants and children will rarely eat garden plants. Aconitum is a plant to be wary of but almost everything else is fine to grow.

  • CharityCharity Posts: 6

    Thank you both, yes, I realise probably half my garden has toxic plants in it, I have loads of daffodils in spring for instance.  I don't worry so much if it says it can cause skin problems or just a stomach upset but when I read the word 'fatal' as with Monkshood I get a bit paranoid. image  It will have to go at some point as it is totally taking over a small border.

Sign In or Register to comment.