 |
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
  |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Dear Dr. Hill, We are presently working on a study of spiders associated with this plant (see attachments), shown here with both pink inflorescences and yellow fruits. We have at least three related species in the area, in southern Greenville County , SC. Your assistance in classification of this plant is greatly appreciated. Dr. David H. Dear David, Great images! It made my work relatively easy. Your plant is Acalypha gracilens A.Gray, Euphorbiaceae. A common name is Slender three-seeded mercury. This is a native plant found throughout the eastern half of the country. For additional information, this is a good place to start: Sincerely,
Dr. Hill- I saw this plant along the roadside on a vacant lot in a Lexington County subdivision near Lake Murray . It appears that this vine has grown up into the adjacent shrub - isn't it stunning? I wonder what the plant is with the berries and if it is deer resistant or would it be an attraction to deer? Could it be propagated by a cutting? Thank you, Donna Yes, Donna, this is a stunning vine ! I am surprised that no-one else has sent this to me for identification because it is so conspicuous. This is called, often, Carolina coralbead or just Coralbeads, but I prefer another common name - Carolina moonseed. The scientific name is Cocculus carolinus (L.) DC. and it is in a very uncommon, mostly tropical, plant family the Menispermaceae. We have only one other representative of this family, Menispermum canadense, which has blue berries. It can generally be propagated by cuttings with rootstock attached or by the seeds, though they may be slow to germinate. Experts can probably root stem cuttings using rootone or something similar. White-tailed deer and birds will eat the fruits. Some also consider the vine to be invasive, but I would say that is not generally a problem. I notice that it is growing on a Groundsel-bush [Baccharis halimifolia] which is also somewhat invasive or spreading in range. There is a lot more information on this at these sites: Some sources say that all parts are toxic if eaten by people or pets, but they certainly are not toxic to birds or deer. I recommend this vine as an ornamental, as long as one is aware of the possible problems, because of the very attractive berries and leaves. However, it should be noted that this plant is dioecious - each vine is either male or female - and the male vines, of course, do not produce the berries, but are necessary for pollination. So clones of the two sexes are needed to guarantee fruits. This is also generally true for plants like holly and, to an extent, for Bittersweet [Celastrus] and kiwi fruit. Thanks for asking!
Dr. Hill, This plant grows in full sun at my niece's house beside her driveway and all around anywhere that is not mowed. It seems very invasive and at first I thought it was mint, but it has little or no smell, grows about 36" high, has red stems, and these lovely lavender flowers. Her house is near Fort Mill , SC and the plants were growing there when they bought the house several years ago. The house is near a creek, but not close enough that their soil is wet. It sort of reminds me of Late Boneset but the leaves are more rounded and the color is wrong. Sincerely, Dear Karen, Your plant is quite conspicuous and interesting at this time of year - it is the mistflower or wild ageratum, traditionally named Eupatorium coelestinum but currently called Conoclinium coelestinum (L.) DC. "Coelestinum" means "heavenly", and the bright blue flower color refers to that. This is a rather common perennial found most commonly on the coastal plain, but it can occasionally be found all the way to the mountains. It especially likes wet roadside ditches. There are some nice web sites on this plant, including: http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=COCO13 This is a good example of a plant that has been put into cultivation that is often just as common in gardens as it is in the wild, and it is sometimes difficult to tell where it is truly native. I hope this helps ! Sincerely, Steve Hill SCNPS
September 23, 2009 Dr. Hill, We live in Blythewood , SC and noticed this plant the other day. We live in a very wooded area and have never run across this before. It is located in a deep shaded area, on the bank of a dried up drainage ditch next to our paved driveway. We would love to know what this plant is because of the unusual foliage we would like to propagate if possible. Look forward to hearing from you. Thanks, Susan Hi Susan, This must be a very good year for this plant - because yours is the third inquiry to me this year about it. Also, it is very conspicuous when it has mature fruits, though not at all conspicuous when it is in flower or when it has very young fruits. Your plant is Euonymus americanus L. in a plant family called the Celastraceae, or Bittersweet Family. It has one of my favorite common names - "Hearts-a-bustin'-with-Love". The name comes from the appearance of the fruits. It has some other common names like 'Strawberry-bush', but I like the other one better. Here are some links below, which should fill you in on that and more: http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=euam9 It is a very popular plant. I've had trouble with caterpillars in the upstate on this, but I don't think they are everywhere. Despite the nice looking fruits, they are not edible - so be careful - don't try them. Usually you can find young plants or even rooting stems in the vicinity of the plants in fruit, and those are fairly easy to transplant. The roots are usually shallow. I have not had luck germinating the seeds - they probably must go through the digestive system of a bird before they germinate - so scarifying them may help. There will probably be more information on this on the Internet elsewhere. Stems will probably root in moist peat. By the way, this is certainly a shade plant, a small shrub usually. I hope this helps ! Thanks for your interest.
September 19, 2009 Dr Hill, I was pulling weeds in the yard in Columbia, SC today and happened to grab hold of this plant. I immediately experienced a burning/stinging sensation all over the palm of my hand. I went inside and scrubbed my hand for about 5 minutes before it stopped burning. I can't find this plant in my wildflower books. Can you tell me what it is? Needless to say, I won't be touching it again without gloves. The plant is less than 6 inches high and grows in sun and partial shade under pine trees in sandy soil covered with pine mulch and needles. The stems are either hairy or prickly - I didn't touch to find out. Thanks for your help. Nora Hi, Nora, Well, you grabbed one of the most painfully-stinging plants in the Carolinas, Spurge nettle (Cnidoscolus stimulosus), also known as Tread-softly and Finger Rot. It is a member of the Euphorbiaceae, or Spurge family. Some call the plant Cnidoscolus urens var. stimulosus, and it is, indeed, stimulating ! This plant is usually found in sandy soil, especially in the sandhills and towards the coast. It is a close relative of Jatropha, which is usually spineless and edible, but Cnidoscolus is known for these stinging hairs which actually inject an irritant liquid under the skin. There are probably folk remedies to get rid of the stinging, but I don't personally know of any. The plant, actually, has an edible tuberous root and edible seeds, and so it protects itself. You can find out more about the plant here: While it is an interesting plant to botanists, it can literally be a pain for gardeners. Nice pictures, by the way. I hope this helps ! Sincerely, Steve Hill [ SCNPS] September 11, 2009
Dear Dr. Hill, I wonder if you would be so kind as to help me identify this wild flower that is growing in the back and side yards of my home. It is in a partially shaded area and it is blooming at this time. In the picture you can tell the size by the elephant ears that are in the photo and pine needles among the flowers. Thank you in advance for you help in identifying this wild flower. Sincerely, Mary Anne Dear Mary Anne, Thank you very much for your inquiry and the nice images. Your plant, an herbaceous vine, is Clematis terniflora, formerly called Clematis dioscoreifolia. This is one of the plants called Clematis or Virgin's Bower, or Sweet Autumn Clematis [Virginsbower], in the Ranunculaceae - the buttercup family. It is not native here but it has spread widely since being introduced from China and Korea , most likely as an ornamental, and it can become weedy and a pest. However, others cultivate it, so tastes differ. The seeds have a feather-like appendage and can blow around, or they can be in various types of mulch or duff. It is normally a climber and could be trained onto a trellis. Your plant is really healthy! and it is probably 'looking' for a place to climb. Here are some links that should help: It is a matter of personal taste whether one considers it a nice garden plant or a noxious weed. I tend to agree with the latter, as once established it is really hard to eliminate by trimming or pulling, and it will overtop any plant it grows upon. I hope this helps! Sincerely, Steve Hill - SCNPS
September 11, 2009 To whom it may concern, We have affectionally called this plant the sticky bush. I have moved a sprout everytime i moved from the original plant. Anyway when i moved here to Lady's Island SC, i decided to plant a sprout just above my septic system. To my suprise it grew real big real fast and began to sprout flowers. All the years we had these plants around we never saw one bloom. So can you tell me the name of it and how often one blooms? Thanks. Shawn C. Shawn, Your plant appears to be Yucca gloriosa, often called mound lily or Spanish bayonet [but there are several called this]. It is traditionally placed in the lily family, Liliaceae. It grows best near the coast. With age, it can develop a small trunk. You can find out more about it here: There are several named cultivars. I hope this helps - the plant really likes it where you have planted it - and it should continue to send up some new stems. Sincerely,
August 20, 2009 Dr. Hill, Please ID this strange plant growing on our back porch next to a rather withered tomato plant in a large pot. Thank you....Dennis H. Hi, Dennis, Well, you picked an easy one for me because this is in the plant family that I study, the Malvaceae [cotton or mallow family]. Also, in the midwest it is one of the most common weeds in cropfields - but not so common in South Carolina because it does best in alkaline rather than acid soils. Its name is Abutilon theophrasti L., and it is usually called Velvetleaf. It is listed as a noxious weed in quite a few states, and is native to Asia . Because I like the family, I consider it interesting, though common. You can find out a lot more about it at these links: The seeds appear to survive in soil for at least 50 years, so it comes up in places that have not seen the plant for years when those areas are disturbed, causing the seeds to germinate. It can also get around in birdseed and cropseed. Thank you very much for your interest, and I hope this helps. Sincerely,
August 6, 2009 Dr. Hill, Can you please identify this tree? It's about 5 foot tall. I first saw it growing in the swamps in Georgetown, SC. Also would it transplant to the upstate in a swamp like area? Hi Nancy, Your plant is Daubentonia punicea, also known as Sesbania punicea, sometimes called 'rattlebox'. It is supposed to be poisonous if eaten. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental, but is commonly found as a weedy escaped subshrub. I have had no experience transplanting these, but I suppose a small plant could be moved. They are better known to be grown from the seeds - which are in a 4-sided winged bean. You can find out more about this plant here: I hope this helps ! --Steve Hill - SCNPS July 26, 2009
Dr. Hill, We are most perplexed by this shrub which literally appeared in our side rose bed (7-8 hrs afternoon sun daily) about 2-3 months ago. At first I thought it was an agressive weed, but noticed it had some pretty columnar white flowers so I just let it be and decided to watch it. I've never seen anything grow quite this fast. It is now 4' x 4' and the white flowers have turned into berries and on some of the columns, the berries are starting to turn blue from the bottom up. I'm sure it is probably an easy ID, but certainly something we've never seen before here in the James Island area of Charleston , SC. Would appreciate an ID -- and particularly if it's anything poisonous, would like to know how best to remove. Thanks so much!! Melissa F. Dear Melissa, This certainly appears to be Pokeweed - the one usually called Phytolacca rigida. Some people call this a synonym of Phytolacca americana, but your plant certainly does not look like the typical form of this. I wondered if it might be a newly introduced exotic pokeweed, but I don't think so. I am copying other botanists for other opinions. The plant is both poisonous and edible. Many people eat the first sprouts of the season [less than 1 ft tall] as a salad, but the mature plant and fruits are quite toxic. They are not poisonous to touch, just to eat. You can find more information here: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/poison/Phytoam.htm I hope this helps! Thanks for your interest. Sincerely, Steve Hill [SCNPS] Note: This follow-up message was received from another botanist concerning this plant ID: Hi! This is indeed Phytolacca rigida. In the Carolinas it is a "maritime plant", occurring on barrier islands and adjacent mainland shores. It IS a native weed. I regard this as a species separate from Phytolacca americana . It has smaller leaves and upright fruiting racemes and other differences. Some prefer varietal status (because apparently there are some intergrades in Florida), but to me they seem pretty cleanly seperated through nearly all their distributions. -- Alan June 16, 2009
My husband said they always called this a "headache" flower. They grow wild along the roads and edges of the woods here in Calhoun County SC. We live in Elloree, SC and they are all over the place and then they are gone. They look like a spider lily but I am not sure. Can you please tell me what they are and if you can buy them to plant in the yard. Sincerely, Hi, Debbie Your plant is more generally called Wild Azalea, and it appears to be Rhododendron canescens. This is found throughout your area. It is a beautiful spring flowering shrub, and very showy when in flower. There are several other species of wild azalea in your area, but yours is most likely this one, as the others are either uncommon or more often have white flowers. Here are some links to more information: A few places that sell it are listed here: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/2481/ Thanks for your interest!
June 1, 2009 The first plant is a sparse shrub type of plant. It has a woody stem and the tallest one on my property is about 5 feet. It has a central "trunk" with branches that alternate. Each branch has smaller branches that are opposite one another with a single leaf at the end. Some branches have 4 leaves, most have 2 as shown in the picture. Overall, very few leaves. Each leaf has a tiny 5-petaled flower suspended above it. The leaves are approximately 2 inches long. Perhaps slightly shorter. Grows under pines and other dense trees. The second is some kind of herb... I suspect some kind of cress? It has a sweet taste when you chew the tender leaves and more of a peppery taste after you have chewed it a while. I have not seen any flowers on these yet. Seems to grow in damp, sandy soil. Also more of a shady area. If more pictures are required for identification, I can do that. Thanks in advance -- Hi, Frankie - I like your style. Are you from NYC? Just curious. Your first plant I know well - it is Euonymus americanus L. in a plant family called the Celastraceae, or Bittersweet Family. It has one of my favorite common names - "Hearts-a-bustin'-with-Love". To understand how it got this common name, you need to see the fruits ! Sure, it has some other common names like 'Strawberry-bush', but I like the other one better. Here are some links below, which should fill you in on that and more: http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=euam9 It is a very popular plant. I've had trouble with caterpillars in the Upstate of SC on this, but I don't think they are everywhere. Despite the nice looking fruits, they are not edible - so be careful - don't try them. Now your second plant, the herb, was much harder. Sometimes I can get immature plants, sometimes not. Your remark about sweetness is interesting - what made you try it ? Be careful of testing unknowns! My best guess, is that these are young plants of the common daisy - called either Chrysanthemum leucanthemum or Leucanthemum vulgare. Those basal leaves are a very good match, and it wouldn't surprise me if they are a little sweet. This is in the aster family, Asteraceae. Check out these sites on the internet and let me know what you think - otherwise, we will have to wait until it flowers. The first image seems to be an exact match. http://i.pbase.com/g6/61/680161/2/69531957.DpydQdF7.jpg I like a challenge! This herb was one of those! Cordially, PLANT ID HOME / PLANT ID ARCHIVES: page 1 > 2
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| about | chapters | news | activities | issues | join | links | articles | plant id | contact | home |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
Copyright ©2008 SC Native Plant Society |  |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
