cunnion
London
Posts: 3
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| Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 5:25 pm Post subject: Huge thin stalk with purple flowers |
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I saw a plant which I am desperate to identify while walking past somebody's garden the other day. It was tall (around 7 or 8 ft) and thin, around 1 ft in width getting smaller towards the top where it tapered into a point. It also had small purple flowers all over it.
I've tried googling all of this but just can't seem to find it. Does anyone have any ideas?
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eileen
 Forum Moderator
Scotland
Posts: 18013
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| Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 5:27 pm Post subject: |
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Is there any chance you could get a photograph of the plant for us cunnion? It's so much easier to ID from a picture.
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tschnath
Southern Maine (zone 5)
Posts: 704
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| Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 5:36 pm Post subject: |
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Could it be a hollyhock? Check out the flowers on my avitar. Do they look like these?
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glendann
Texas
Posts: 9228
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| Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 5:46 pm Post subject: |
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It might be a Clome (Spider Plant)
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cunnion
London
Posts: 3
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| Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 5:50 pm Post subject: |
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Unfortunately I was just wandering randomly so didn't get a picture.
I don't think it is a hollyhock or a clome. It literally is just one huge tall stalk, almost like a totem pole, with very small purple flowers.
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glendann
Texas
Posts: 9228
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| Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 5:51 pm Post subject: |
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Ummmmm,I have no clue then.
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Droopy
Regular Plants Contributor
Western Norway
Posts: 9272
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| Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 5:55 pm Post subject: |
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Which zone are you in? Were the flowers on the stalk or sort of dispended from the stalk? Did you see any leaves at all? If you did, were they near the ground or up the stem along with the flowers?
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Droopy
Regular Plants Contributor
Western Norway
Posts: 9272
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| Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 8:37 pm Post subject: |
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I've been thinking. (Yes, I brag.  ) The only thing I can think of with such enormous flower spikes are Eremurus and agave. I couldn't find purple Eremurus, but did find a purple-flowering agave. Check out Agave schidigera Durango Delight. It's a PDF-document. I know the normal Agave blooms look like a tree, but some have tall spikes. Most are white or yellow. My, I've learned a lot today!
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gardenmama
Vermont
Posts: 575
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| Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 9:56 pm Post subject: |
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Could it be an ornamental onion of some kind. They have a very long stalk and flowers on top.
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DaphDaph
South Carolina
Posts: 170
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| Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 10:27 pm Post subject: |
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Could it be Agapanthus (lily of the nile)? Mine are purple.
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Netty
Regular Plants Contributor
Southern Ontario zone 5a
Posts: 9959
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| Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 1:03 am Post subject: |
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My first thoughts were Liatris or Foxglove. A picture would be very helpful.
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cunnion
London
Posts: 3
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| Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 7:20 am Post subject: |
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It was a Echium Pininana! I've just googled it and it looks exactly the same.
Thanks so much everyone for all of your suggestions.
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Droopy
Regular Plants Contributor
Western Norway
Posts: 9272
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| Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 8:10 am Post subject: |
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 Well done EJ! That's some plant, never heard about it.
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