Help ID this mystery plant . . . ? (velvetleaf)

Bruce 01 · Thu Aug 30, 2012 2:48 pm

Two of these popped up in my small raised bed veg. garden this year.

Possible sources: I throw all my peelings and veg scrap in the garden year 'round. But these don't look like anything I've ever seen.

And: I replaced all the dirt in the garden this spring, it was hauled in, source unknown.

At first I thought it could be okra, but the pods are different.

The red arrow shows the small yellow flower, and the yellow arrow points to these curious little pods.

Hmm, upon previewing, I see the forum has shrunk the picture down quite a bit. Dunno if anyone can see it well enough now, maybe that big leaf will help?

[img]https://i48.tinypic.com/9s4949.jpg[/img]

applestar · Thu Aug 30, 2012 3:43 pm

Velvetleaf.

Bruce 01 · Fri Aug 31, 2012 2:57 am

applestar wrote:Velvetleaf.

I've never heard of it so I Wiki'd it. Thanks!

I'm betting the seeds came in with that load of topsoil that I bought this spring.

rainbowgardener · Fri Aug 31, 2012 3:05 am

Yes, I have velvetleaf in my garden. I believe it originally came from a packet of mixed wildflower seeds. Everything else died out, but the velvet leaf spread. It is a great trap crop for leafminers. They love those soft leaves and choose it over everything else in the garden. When the leaf miner tunnels show up in the velvetleaf leaves, just pull them and dispose of (not in the garden). I never have trouble with leaf miner in anything else!

Bruce 01 · Fri Aug 31, 2012 3:06 pm

Thanks for the help, Apple and Rainbow.

DoubleDogFarm · Fri Aug 31, 2012 7:26 pm

rainbowgardener wrote:Yes, I have velvetleaf in my garden. I believe it originally came from a packet of mixed wildflower seeds. Everything else died out, but the velvet leaf spread. It is a great trap crop for leafminers. They love those soft leaves and choose it over everything else in the garden. When the leaf miner tunnels show up in the velvetleaf leaves, just pull them and dispose of (not in the garden). I never have trouble with leaf miner in anything else!

Interesting. I'll have to try this.

I wonder if the ducks will eat the velvetleaf. They eat comfrey.

Eric

dtlove129 · Tue Sep 04, 2012 12:41 pm

Interesting. I had several of those come up this year in my winter squash/pumpkin area. I planted Nasturiums out there this year, and at first thought these velvet leaves were them until they grew up to like 7 feet tall and had a "trunk" on them that was hard as a rock. I'm not sure where they came from because I don't remember having them out there last year.