Save me from embrassasment - Plant ID

I know I could post this to the Plant ID forum. But I am certain those who know in this forum, will recognize this plant right away. I have always let it grow on purpose because I love the little five petaled red flower it gets. They look like miniature roses when they are still closed. And the seed pod looks like a perfectly round "b-b." I have never known what it's common name is and I have no clue as to which genus to look in to do a search. I have tried and tried to guess and look through those that look like they might be the one, but no luck.
I am hoping I don't have to wait until it blooms to finally find out what it is.
I am hoping it might even be a California Native.
Help! It is the plant growing close to the edge of the pot.

CatSmiling,
Looks like what I call Chicken Candy and others call Chick Weed. Good for you! I figure if it doesn't kill the chickens you can eat it too. LOL!
Seriously, the plants in your pot are still very small, but should get kinda stringy as it grows. I'd let it grow.
WIB,
SW

Ha, ha, SW! I have it covering a slope in the spring. Thanks, but it is not chickweed and it won't get stringy. The flower is not only bright red, it has a blue center. And it really does look like a tiny 1/4" rose bud when closed. The flowers are not even 1/2 inch across. I've been growing it for decades and have never know what it is. Here is another photo of a larger one on the slope with my Thyme. I am keeping my eyes pealed for my second favorite, with the exact same growth pattern, tiny leaves and flowers, but blue. No they are not Baby Blue Eyes. The flowers are too small and the leaves are not even close to being the same.

I think it's Anagallis arvensis...kind of pretty for a weed, so every year I let it go for a while but then as it grows it starts to crowd out other things so I always wind up pulling it eventually! http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/2267/

I love its pretty cousin Anagallis monelli--it has the most gorgeous blue flowers http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/1290/

You got it! Thanks ecrane3! Scarlet Pimpernel
Yes, sometimes I have to pull some of it up also because it will get into everything, such as the potted fuchsia in the first photo. But there is one slope that is red with it in the late spring and it can do as it pleases there.
And you gave me the clue I needed to find the other one.
Speedwell - Veronica agrestis
I will have to take a good photo of it this spring because the flower does look so much like Baby Blue Eyes and the sample photo here is not in bloom. But the leaves are an exact match. And now I seem to remember having someone tell me it was Speedwell eons ago.....
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/2786/
If you want any seed SW, just let me know ;-)
Apparently, they both have medicinal uses.

This message was edited Jan 13, 2010 8:51 PM

Aptenia cordifolia - Candy Apple groundcover? It's invasive, not a native.

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/1044/

We cross-posted. I pull all that little stuff or it takes over.

This message was edited Jan 13, 2010 8:51 PM

CS,
Now I can't look at the big photos, just the thumbnails. Still having computer problems. Spent hours this evening working on trying to get them cookies to the computer. Still not co operating.
I tried though.
Save me seeds. We'll see how they do. All the fuchsia's are happy in the gh. Getting more berries too! : - )
Will try to send you a photo. 'Puter is getting quirky in it's old age, no wait! That would be me! LOL!
Glad ecrane was able to help you ID them, gave it my best shot, though. : - )
WIB,
SW

Nice berries SW! Just remember to wait until they are black purple this time and practically fall off into your hand ;-)
Good luck with the old computer. I have a ten year old one sitting under the desk I still use just for when I need two screens at once. It ain't good for nothing else, it can't handle this bright new world. It freaks out if I try to use a newer flashdrive to transfer info to the new computer. I have to use an old one.
Did you try to clean up your hard drive?

Yup, a couple of weeks before it wanted cookies. LOL!
I need to check those berries. I was so busy waterproofing and making repairs today, I need to spend some time in the gh, soon!
Glad you liked the photo.
WIB!
SW

Oh I have that stuff everywhere. I always just called it WEED!!! Nice to know it's name. I pull up as much as I can.
The Scarlett Pimpernel I'm referring to. I've never seen the one with blue flowers. :-)

Annie's Annuals up in Richmond carries the blue one. A bit of a drive for you, but if you have some local nurseries that carry Annie's plants you can probably find it there. She always sells it labeled as an annual, but mine have always been perennial even when we've had bad winters. I do get seedlings occasionally but it doesn't spread as much as I'd like it to, let alone enough to be a pest.

ecrane, I'm going to Annie's with my niece in March or April. She also should be at the SF Flower and Garden Show.
Her booth is always SOOOO crowded. How invasive is the blue? :-)

BTW...Niece lives in Richmond but, on the Marina.

I haven't found the blue to be a problem at all--I've been growing them here for three years and for 2 at my previous house, and in all that time I think I've had maybe 3 or 4 babies that popped up. I actually wish they would reseed a little more freely because I absolutely love the color and would like more of them!

I know I'd like to try the blue one! Good to know that Annie's Annuals is a source, thanks!
I haven't seen much of my Speedwell lately, now that I think of it. I am going to have to go on a few walks to see if I can spy it coming up along some of the trails around here. I'd like to have both as well as my Scarlet Pimpernel.
KaperC, I just noticed your post about the Aptenia cordifolia, we used to grow it in hanging baskets and called them "Hearts and Jewels" because of the shape of the leaves and the red flowers. I was helping out some friends the other day and their neighbor has big beds of it. It is on my list to remember to grab some handfulls to bring home. Stuff is so easy to grow you can practically just throw it down and walk away. It can handle abuse, but does so much better if kept watered.

I got seeds of the blue from one of my catalog sources; planted them last fall. Hopefully they'll do well this year. The weedy one sure does!!!

Good, I'll get some blue at Annie's!!!!

claudcat, are you stuttering?
Thanks I needed a laugh!
Really!
WIB!
SW

LOL!!!!!!!! I guess I am!!!! LOL Glad I made you laugh! :-))))

Still are! : - ))))
Giggle!
WIB!
SW

I needed a good laugh today! ;-)))))
One interesting thing about living just a bit downslope, is all of the various plants which then come up in the gravel driveway. Some would consider this to be a horid chore, but I consider it one of my morning stretches/workouts. To walk around and pull up the "weeds" and keep my eyes peeled for anythingusefull, unusual, or native, etc. Lemon Balm, Lemon Verbena, Chamomile, Scarlet Pimpernel, Speedwell, Viola's, etc all get transplanted over on the hillside.
I bet SW is going to have lots of interesting plants to photograph for the new thread!

Well, grab your camera on your daily walk around your driveway and yard and share some photo's, Cat! : - )
I needed the laugh too. I think claudcat is fitting right in with our crowd. LOL!
WIB!
SW

Will do! As soon as it stops raining. There was snow on the hills today! I wanted to take a photo of it, but I had to almost be in town to see the mountains covered with snow. I thought I'd be able to see them from my house, but I can't, too close and a ridge is between us. If the snow is still there tomorrow, I'll pull over to take a pic.

I'm carrying my camera with me every time I get in the car these days.
DH is hoping for clear weather. The view from the top of Red Hawk Hill on a clear day! You'll see!
WIB!
SW

You know, I HAVE to start carrying my camera with me...I miss soooo many great shots because I don't have it.
Too much to remember...cell phone...mp3...camera..OY VEH!!!!!

SW, As soon as it stops raining I'll take some pics of weeds!!!!!! LOL