CUHummingbird
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Newbie at Wit's End!

Hey all - I found your awesome forum and thought you'd be just the people who could help me out. I'm what you guys would probably call a novice in gardening - lol.

Anywho, I live in Ohio and most of the plants we have are types that are impossible to kill (mostly hostas, columbines, and lilies). We've also had this type of plant around the back of our house (pretty shaded area) for years that we don't know the name of. My aunt gave it to us at least 10 years ago and it's still going strong. Unfortunately, my aunt has passed away and we don't remember what she said the plant was.

The plants stay fairly small (maybe something like 1' high x 1' wide at the most) and reproduce like bunnies! :wink: Every spring there are at least 5 or 6 new ones popping up out in the yard that I have to dig up and put back into the beds. The transplanted ones do fantastic.

If you rub the leaves, your fingers will have a fairly strong minty odor (at least I think it's minty - my father says he thinks it smells piney :roll: ). I've looked on the internet at all the types of mint and I can't find anything that looks like this, though.

Any info you guys could give me would be fabulous. Thanks so much and happy gardening!!

Here's a pic of it: [url=https://www.HerpInfoSource.cjb.net/unknown_plant.jpg]Unkown Plant[/url]

Cynthia :D

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I'm still not sure. How about a flower? Color? Time of bloom? Daisy type or something else? Anybody else got this one?

Scott

CUHummingbird
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It does have flowers, but I have no idea when they flower. I think the flowers are small and white, but I've only recently started paying attention to the plant.

I saw a picture of Sweet Annie and it looks like that might be it, but there's only, like, 2 different pictures of Sweet Annie anywhere on the 'net and, well, they suck. lol. Anybody got a good pic of Sweet Annie?

CUHummingbird
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Okay, I found a good pic of Sweet Annie here: [url=https://www.nothyme.com/herbs/unusualreseedingannuals.cfm?CFID=1876979&CFTOKEN=75019493]Sweet Annie[/url] BUT it says that Sweet Annie gets 9 feet tall!!!!! There is no way this plant has ever gotten more than 2' high - ever.

CUHummingbird
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Sorry for continuing to post a bunch of times, but apparently we can't edit posts, so . . .

now THIS pic of Sweet Annie (Artemisia annua) :[url=https://www.ibiblio.org/herbmed/pictures/p02/images/artemisia-annua-3.jpg]Pic 2[/url] doesn't look like my plant at all. *sigh*

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I think you are on the right track; it certainly sounds and looks herbal, and the reseeding thing fits. Lots of Artemisias; could be you have another species (usually more grey in the foliage) so could still be it...

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It looks like some kind of herb - but darned it I know the name of it. What about taking some to a local garden club or something?

CUHummingbird
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okay I think I've found it. I think it's italian parsley!

check out the pic I found: [url=https://www.HerpInfoSource.cjb.net/italian_parsley_package.jpg]Italian Parsley Seed Package[/url]

and compare it to my close up: [url=https://www.HerpInfoSource.cjb.net/unknown_plant2.jpg]Unknown Plant Leaf Close-Up[/url]

CUHummingbird
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oh and keep in mind that it started SNOWING here yesterday! :x :roll: so the plants have some bad looking spots on them . . . should I cover them in fabric? it's not supposed to get below 30F any time in the next week.

CUHummingbird
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okay so I'm NOT thinking it's parsley anymore - it's feverfew!

feverfew pics:
[url=https://ispb.univ-lyon1.fr/cours/botanique/photos_dicoty/dico%20Q%20a%20Z/Tanacetum%20parthenium.jpg]Feverfew[/url]
[url=https://www.paghat.com/images/goldenfeverfew_sept.jpg]Feverfew 2[/url]
[url=https://www.aphotoflora.com/Tanacetum%20parthenium-leaf-21-09-04.jpg]Feverfew 3[/url]
[url=https://www.paghat.com/images/goldenfeverfew_sept.jpg]Feverfew 3[/url]

so what do you gusy think?

Guest

Before I could post, I see that you have discovered feverfew. My guess is that is what you have. When I saw the top leaf as your first posted pic opened I recognized the plant as being in the chrysanthemum family - comes from many years of pinching off mum plants between the start of the growing season and mid-July.

Here are the reasons I would suggest you furthur research feverfew. It is a perennial, parsley is not. Feverfew has 4 or 5 varieties that I am familiar with. Planted in the shade it will be smaller in spread and height than feverfew grown in its preferred sunny location. Feverfew can have white (looks like a mini mum), creamy, or pure white with yellow centers(looks like a mini daisy) blooms. The daisy like blooms will have a flat yellow center while, for instance, chamomile with the same looking flower has a raised yellow conical shaped center. Parsley normally does not produce a flower, unless it is allowed to bolt and then it produces something more like the flat umbel queen annes lace. Feverfew can become invasive but will more likely produce the volunteer plants you describe. Parsley will return where it was planted, not in other areas of the garden.

Go to the library and look thru some herb books with good color plates(pictures). The complete book of herbs by Lesley Bremness is good. Take a leaf with you. You might also look for a herb guild or herb grower in your area. Farmers Market usually have herb growers in attendance in the spring. Also check out nurseries in your area that sell herbs.

CUHummingbird
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yippee! you guys are all great - and thank you very much, for the feverfew info.

after seeing the feverfew varieties, I cannot believe that I thought it was parsley! lol!

the part about parsley coming up only where it was planted and feverfew coming up in other places in spring is VERY convincing to me, also.

I wil definately look for the lesley bremness book. color plates ROCK - I'm so sick of seeing all these sketches on the internet! none of them look even remotely like the plants they pretend to depict!

lastly - now that I've discovered feverfew and have seen its flowers in some pics, I believe that those are the flowers that this plants produces. they look VERY familiar.

thanks so much, everyone, and if I find out anything else I will let you know!

cynthia

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AHAH! Feverfew (Matricaria spp.) also called German chamomile.

That makes sense...

Scott

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Feverfew and German Chamomile are two different plants, although they share the genus name of Compositae.

Feverfew: Tanacetum parthenium (Chrysanthemum parthenium) is a perennial with its daisy like flower having a flat yellow center.

-while-

Chamomile: Chamaemelum nobile (Anthemis nobilis) is a perennial.
German Chamomile: (Matricaria recutita), an annual, is a variety of Chamomile. Daisy like flowers of both have a conical raised yellow center.

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I stand here, corrected :oops:

Good catch. Want to be a moderator for an herb forum? (See, I'll get even for proving me wrong... :lol: )

Scott

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Take the optimist view - don't see my reply as proving you wrong - look at it as "enlightening you" to the differences between Chamomole and Feverfew.

CUHummingbird
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hey guys, thanks so much for everything!

it's definately feverfew . . . ;)

The Helpful Gardener
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No problems CU. Looks like we both learned something this time... :lol:

Scott



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