Hi - I just moved. The house I moved into has an unbelieveable amount of things planted. Beautiful gardens.
Except... I don't really know what most of it is. I have taken pictures of some of the plants currently flowering. Please visit this link to see the photos. Take a look at some interesting plants and comment where you can. Any help is appreciated!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/abirdv/
There are also some interesting fruit trees. They meant a lot to the previous owner. She mentioned to the Realtor to share with me - if I chop down everything in the yard, save these trees.
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minnesota_girl
- Senior Member
- Posts: 155
- Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2008 4:29 pm
- Location: Minnesota
Third one down (1st page) looks maybe like goldenrod. Last two (1st page) are some sort of rose, last one looks like a wild rose to me but I don't know for sure. Para_chan is right about the hibiscus, looks like a red and white one. I don't think they are a rose of sharon though. The picture is a picture of goldenrod, it grows everywhere here. The roadsides here are covered in them.
https://www.wildflowersofontario.ca/goldenrod.jpg
https://www.wildflowersofontario.ca/goldenrod.jpg
thanks for all the help... I am going to go over to flickr and update with the answers I have so far.
I'm especially curious about the fruit tree on page 2 if anyone has an ideas there. I know the previous owner planted them to attract a certain type of bird or butterfly. I also know that this is the first year it had fruit - there were male and female plants involved in it and it has to fruit to attract the animal. Also these were her absolute favorites. My only thought right now is some type of fig, but it doesn't look quite like pictures I find.
I'm especially curious about the fruit tree on page 2 if anyone has an ideas there. I know the previous owner planted them to attract a certain type of bird or butterfly. I also know that this is the first year it had fruit - there were male and female plants involved in it and it has to fruit to attract the animal. Also these were her absolute favorites. My only thought right now is some type of fig, but it doesn't look quite like pictures I find.
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poke salad annie
- Full Member
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- Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2008 10:01 pm
- Location: south, where the alligators grow so mean
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wingdesigner
- Super Green Thumb
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- Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2005 4:58 pm
- Location: Michigan--LP(troll)
The gardenia flowers look like a white mallow (malva sp.). The tree is definitely a paw paw--we have a town in MI named for them. The fruit tastes like banana custard with vanilla. If you can get to them before the critters do. Some folks cover the trees with bird netting to keep the fruit. The aster photos do look like some kind of wild aster. It looks like the former owner tried to establish native plantings in your yard, except for the horsetail! Lucky you! That type of planting provides an oasis for all kinds of beneficial insects. Some of the roses look like rugosa types, much sturdier than hybrids, IMO.
I'm not familiar with horsetail - why is it bad? What is it?
Also thanks for the identification of the pawpaw. I googled it a little and you are both right on. That's exactly what the fruit looked like. There is definitely an animal in my yard that thought it was AWESOME too. Because they wiped out all the fruit in about a week. I've never heard of pawpaw either. I have a lot to learn about this garden. It is very fun.
Also thanks for the identification of the pawpaw. I googled it a little and you are both right on. That's exactly what the fruit looked like. There is definitely an animal in my yard that thought it was AWESOME too. Because they wiped out all the fruit in about a week. I've never heard of pawpaw either. I have a lot to learn about this garden. It is very fun.
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minnesota_girl
- Senior Member
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- Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2008 4:29 pm
- Location: Minnesota
Oh, I didn't see the horsetail! 
It's a weed, don't have it here but it has a reputation. Get rid of it asap.
It's a weed, don't have it here but it has a reputation. Get rid of it asap.
Last edited by minnesota_girl on Thu Sep 18, 2008 7:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
In late July, there was a discussion here at THG about horsetail, or equisetum hyemale:
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9689
Invasive, invasive, invasive.
Did I say invasive???
That's why others are recommending that it come OUT.
The rest of your yard sounds absolutely amazing, including the pawpaw! They don't grow in California...but they were sure nice in Georgia.
Cynthia H.
USDA Zone 9, Sunset Zone 17
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9689
Invasive, invasive, invasive.
Did I say invasive???
That's why others are recommending that it come OUT.
The rest of your yard sounds absolutely amazing, including the pawpaw! They don't grow in California...but they were sure nice in Georgia.
Cynthia H.
USDA Zone 9, Sunset Zone 17
looks like I may have an interesting experience ahead of me with the horsetail. It is appearing here and there throughout a bed at the front of the house and in this patch in the back.
I did some research on the pawpaw. It's the only host plant for the zebra swallowtail butterfly. I did a search on the nectar for the butterfly and one of the plants that came up was Buddleia.
Do you think this plant could be Buddleia?
https://flickr.com/photos/abirdv/2836528781/
I haven't noticed anything else in the yard that could be the nectar. I'm figuring out the previous owner is a big time butterfly gardener. It's making it a little easier to find some of the plant names.
I did some research on the pawpaw. It's the only host plant for the zebra swallowtail butterfly. I did a search on the nectar for the butterfly and one of the plants that came up was Buddleia.
Do you think this plant could be Buddleia?
https://flickr.com/photos/abirdv/2836528781/
I haven't noticed anything else in the yard that could be the nectar. I'm figuring out the previous owner is a big time butterfly gardener. It's making it a little easier to find some of the plant names.
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wingdesigner
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 2036
- Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2005 4:58 pm
- Location: Michigan--LP(troll)
Is there any way you can get in touch with the former owner? I'm sure she would LOVE to know that her plants are appreciated and are being cared for.
If you don't know her address, her real-estate agent probably does.
Look back through your closing papers. If you don't have her agent's address, call your own real-estate agent and get the ball rolling:
Write a letter to her and ask that it be forwarded to the former owner. Include pictures, with questions written in pencil or non-smearing pen on the back. Ask whether she was actively trying to attract and support butterflies. (This will let her know that you have indeed been checking into the plants!
) You might also want to know how old the mature trees/shrubs are, so that when/if they begin to have problems down the line, you'll know whether it's likely to be disease, insect trouble, or end-of-life decline.
We kept in touch with the former owners of our house for a time, and the information was very helpful, since many of the plants were ones with which I was unfamiliar. We also had a professional gardener do a walk-through and identify some of the smaller ones and give us clues as to water needs.
It sounds like you've acquired a truly wonderful spread!
Cynthia H.
USDA Zone 9, Sunset Zone 17
If you don't know her address, her real-estate agent probably does.
Look back through your closing papers. If you don't have her agent's address, call your own real-estate agent and get the ball rolling:
Write a letter to her and ask that it be forwarded to the former owner. Include pictures, with questions written in pencil or non-smearing pen on the back. Ask whether she was actively trying to attract and support butterflies. (This will let her know that you have indeed been checking into the plants!
) You might also want to know how old the mature trees/shrubs are, so that when/if they begin to have problems down the line, you'll know whether it's likely to be disease, insect trouble, or end-of-life decline.We kept in touch with the former owners of our house for a time, and the information was very helpful, since many of the plants were ones with which I was unfamiliar. We also had a professional gardener do a walk-through and identify some of the smaller ones and give us clues as to water needs.
It sounds like you've acquired a truly wonderful spread!
Cynthia H.
USDA Zone 9, Sunset Zone 17