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Original poster

Plant ID help please!

38 replies

ArtichokeAardvark · 28/02/2022 07:35

Hello,

This beauty arrived in a wild (read: full of weeds!) corner of my garden last year but never flowered. I'm attempting to tame the patch before spring and wondering whether I should keep it or dig it out. I have one of those plant ID apps which has narrowed it down to a selfseeded foxglove or mullein, or possibly comfrey? Without flowers I'm having to go by leaf shape!

For context, it's seeded itself under a yew tree, in an area that currently gets lots of morning and then very late afternoon sun. We have very chalky soil.

Reason I'm asking is I have a toddler who likes to pick flowers and eat them... otherwise I'd quite enjoy a free foxglove, they're beautiful!

Plant ID help please!
OP posts:
HeadPain · 28/02/2022 14:07

@steppemum

there was a mn a few years ago whose daughter ate a foxglove leaf. They were actually really lucky that they spotted she had eated a leaf. She atarted vomiting (that's when they saw the leaf) and collapsed.

The emergency paramedics had not a clue what a foxglove was, neither did the A&E department, but to be fair they belived her and reacted.
A long time in intensive care, and then regular checks over the next year. She nearly died. The poison is absorbed into the muscle/fat and then re- released over the following months, so it is not just a once off, it went on effeting her heart for months.

Please dig it up

Paramedics and A&E didn't know? That's worrying
Polyanthus2 · 28/02/2022 19:11

The deer keep eating my taxis baccata at this time of year - doesn't bother them.

TheSpottedZebra · 28/02/2022 21:13

@Polyanthus2

The deer keep eating my taxis baccata at this time of year - doesn't bother them.
Deer can eat yew. And yet it is toxic to humans, and cattle and sheep.
MereDintofPandiculation · 01/03/2022 08:27

@CrazyCatLady13

Yew trees are highly toxic as well, a few leaves is enough to make a child unwell & the berries are even worse, so you might want to partition the area anyway
Strictly, it’s the seeds that are toxic, the aril - the red fleshy bit - is OK. But a toddler, if they’re into eating random plants, will just eat the whole thing.

Take a picture using Google Lens it can tell you Google Lens can tell you which pictures have a similar arrangement of pixels to yours. I don’t know why you think it’s going to give a better answer than a range of experienced gardeners who have actually grown the plant in question.

@ArtichokeAardvark You could transplant it to a safe spot at the back

SockFluffInTheBath · 01/03/2022 13:43

@steppemum

there was a mn a few years ago whose daughter ate a foxglove leaf. They were actually really lucky that they spotted she had eated a leaf. She atarted vomiting (that's when they saw the leaf) and collapsed.

The emergency paramedics had not a clue what a foxglove was, neither did the A&E department, but to be fair they belived her and reacted.
A long time in intensive care, and then regular checks over the next year. She nearly died. The poison is absorbed into the muscle/fat and then re- released over the following months, so it is not just a once off, it went on effeting her heart for months.

Please dig it up

I didn’t know the body stored it like that. I’m glad the little girl survived.

I was also going to say foxglove because the centre looks like mine. It would be lovely if you had a toddler-safe place to stash it OP but to be honest I never grew them until my own DC were plenty old enough to know to not pick anything- options are it could be toxic, skin irritant, or just make me cross Grin

Blogdog · 01/03/2022 13:55

I’d be 90% certain that’s a foxglove. Having had toddlers who would quite happily eat a bush (but would not let a vegetable pass their lips at dinner) - dig it up and compost it. It’s not worth the risk or the stress. Your daughter won’t be a toddler forever and you can get another when she’s grown out of the eating daft things stage.

Polyanthus2 · 01/03/2022 19:07

There's another plant with similar leaves which seems to self seed in my garden - it is v tall with smallish yellow flowers equally spaced up the stem. I think it's a verbascum called mullein.

AlisonDonut · 01/03/2022 19:23

@Polyanthus2

There's another plant with similar leaves which seems to self seed in my garden - it is v tall with smallish yellow flowers equally spaced up the stem. I think it's a verbascum called mullein.
The OP mentioned that in her opening paragraph.
extractorfactor · 01/03/2022 19:31

The leaf looks serrated to me, which makes me think it could be mullein (you can use the leafs as bog rollGrin) has lovely yellow flowers!

extractorfactor · 01/03/2022 19:37

After re-reading your op I'm leaning on Mullein, they prefer full sunlight, where as foxglove is happy in both shade and full light. It may not have flowered if under the shade of a yew.
Haven't read all your updates Op, but I'm sure you are aware yew has very toxic berries. So please please keep your little one away from it. I love yew trees but they aren't good for small people, horses, sheep or goats!

Polyanthus2 · 01/03/2022 21:05

The OP mentioned that in her opening paragraph

Yes, but that was two days ago - how am I supposed to remember that far back.....

TerfranosaurusVagina · 01/03/2022 21:12

Looks like a foxglove to me. I've got them in my garden too. They are biennial so don't flower in their 1st year.

MereDintofPandiculation · 02/03/2022 11:35

It’s not furry enough for Verbascum thapsii, which is the usual self seeded mullein

Yes, but that was two days ago - how am I supposed to remember that far back..... that’s why the post is repeated at the top of every page Grin

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