This has come up in my Swiss Chard container and I'm not sure if this is from seeds in my compost or something a bird has dropped. My first thought was Papaya but we haven't eaten any around here.
any ideas? Thanks!
I.D. Help, Please
Looks like dandelion! Maybe I say that because I've been looking at photos of WEEDS for the better part of the morning!
How are you today?
Haha! I know that feeling but it's much larger than a dandelion. All is well here; hoping that the clouds bring some more rain.
I am inclined to say Western Ragweed, how large are the leaves?
http://wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=36144
edited because the second link didn't work.
This message was edited Sep 30, 2013 7:07 PM
Thank you, Josephine but my leaves aren't fuzzy. We do have more than our share of Ragweed around here but this one doesn't look the same. I'm always buying seeds of new species that I don't know so that is probably what has happened. Now, if I will remind myself to write it down because I WON'T remember.
Is it an okra plant?
No, I have lots of okra but this isn't one of them. Thanks!
I guess I'll just let it grow and see what I get. Maybe it will be a nice surprise!
I was thinking it might be a Mulberry, sometimes when they are young they have very different leaves.
Is the stem kind of woody?
Yes, it is, Josephine but there is no source. I would love a Mulberry but we haven't eaten any nor have any trees around us. My local nursery people, after seeing the photo on my phone, think it's a papaya and that was my first guess. Same issues though, I don't like papaya and don't buy them to eat or buy the seeds.
Here is a photo from DG Plant files, what do you think?
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/164818/
It could be a mulberry if a bird "gifted" you with the seed. That photo looks a lot like some I saw when we were helping a lady dig out a lot of plants from her yard. I would imagine that mulberry seeds would "travel" a lot more easily than papaya.
Could it be Artichoke???
Looks like papaya to me.
We will just have to wait and see.
I see why you say papaya!
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/139706/
It looks like a papaya to me but I can't imagine where the seeds came from. It's growing in a mixture of my homemade compost and composted chicken manure/hay from my hens. We like lots of exotic fruits in my household but no one likes papaya so I can't figure out how the seeds would have gotten there. Thanks to all!!
Birds, squirrels or possums digging in other people's garbage.
It's a mystery!
I love papaya. Had trees all over the place in my home town, Brownsville! Right on the border!
kbh, how did you get the purple prickly pear photo that is your avatar?
I found it in a book on my Kindle. Copied the photo into gallery then chose it from existing file. Cool cactus huh! Santa Rita is the cultivar.
I too believe it is a Papaya and a squirrel or other animal planted it. I am sure there is someone who would trade you something for it. I have never tasted a Papaya but I like the shape of the leaves. Maybe you could compost the Papayas if you compost.
That Cactus is absolutely beautiful.
They would grow in your zone! Went to Baytown a few times. Had a friend that lived there. Last name Franke. Been a loooooong time!
Yes they would. I have one but wouldn't mind another. Maybe I have something you would want. I would offer it on the plant trade as you might get something you really want. I wouldn't just throw it away.
Kbh69 you are welcome to visit anytime.
Very sweet of you! Going to your zone for Thanksgiving with my wonderful Tween. My mother still lives in the Valley. I really enjoy my frequent visits down there. I've planted a low maintenance, tropical atrium for Mom. It takes care of my "zone envy" issues! :)
Yes I have zone envy for things in your zone also. I wish the heat didn't kill so many things. I do love tropicals. I have 2 trees with bananas on them right now. :)
Love it! Wish we had one! They are 50 cents a lb. at our local grocery (not HEB), and my daughter goes through about 2 a day. Would love a tree! :)
Papayas are an acquired taste. Loaded with tons of wonderful digestive enzymes. Good stuff. Mt daughter likes it too. Needs to be eaten in moderation....like everything else I suppose!
If the mystery plant is in fact a Papaya seedling, hooray for whoever grows it!
Kiley
I'm letting it grow but the pot that it's in is too small to support a full grown papaya tree so I'll need to move it. I've seen quite a few in Houston, especially in the Mexican neighborhoods, so they should grow well here.
Oh, well, papayas will be gifted in the Spring!
You can dry and candy them. Super sweet and yummy. Nice gift.
I eat many odd things but I just can't do papaya. They will definitely be gifted! If they get that far, I'll be happy to send seeds.
I would love to try seeds. My Fiance wants a Mango tree. I am hoping to find one for him. We have Bananas growing on 2 trees right now. It is really fun to watch :)
My offering of suggestions is a Spinach Tree. I have this one and it looks like it to me.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/294782/
I have it potted now and have several pups, going to try one in the ground this year because it got too large to move inside for the winter.
This message was edited Oct 18, 2013 7:19 AM
Sheila I thought that at first as I have one but the leaves are longer on a Papaya than a spinach tree. So I believe it is a Papaya.
Sheila I thought that at first as I have one but the leaves are longer on a Papaya than a spinach tree. So I believe it is a Papaya.
I was told you could eat the leaves of the Spinach Tree but see some of it is poison....Is it truly just an ornamental?
I know nothing about it, it was given to me. Botanic Gardens does have one in their Conservatory that the tropical Paper White butterflies love when it is in bloom. Not too impressed with the bloom up in our area out in the environments.
I looked it up and the bloom isn't that great but I do love the odd shape of the leaves. I thought I had a Papaya but I am not sure now that that is what mine is. It just rooted a couple months ago so maybe it just needs time to get its regular leaves. Time will tell.
SPINACH TREE ???? I need to look that one up!
Me too!
Spinach tree is cool but you should look up the New Zealand Spinach vine. It is edible and beautiful. I need to get some seeds planted for it. My Friends is absolutely beautiful.
I have Malabar spinach every summer (it's still going strong now) and love it. Just be careful where you plant it as it spreads. One of my kids favorite snacks is when I take each leaf, dip it in a four/water mixture and sauté them in olive oil for a minute. Much better than chips!!