WHAT kind of plants are these?

From left to right, in this picture:

tall (4' tall so far) branching plant that looks like a carrot top but appears to be forming what looks like a thistle head on the top. What kind of plant is this???

Next to it , further to the right -- are two shorter plants-- they are either Paw Paw or Persimmon -- which one are they?

(Yes, next to that is a kittykat, and then a small Fox garden figurine)

Altho I planted 98% of what's on my balcony, i don't remember what I planted in this specific flower pot (the flower pot is actually a Large Rubbermaid Garbage Container) -- except for the fact that I DID plant Paw Paw AND Persimmon seeds...somwhere in a couple of pots on the balcony.

This message was edited Jun 12, 2008 12:44 PM

PS-- the balcony is fenced - in for the cats' safety -- reinforced, secured double chicken wire, and wooden lattice from UNDER the flowerpots on the rim of the balcony floor, to over 6' high at the top. I know that both of my cats cannot jump that high --or climb the fencing or lattice.

Don't know about the carrot top plant but the other one is not a persimmon so guess it's a paw paw (not sure as I haven't seen a paw paw in quite some time but I do have three persimmons I planted in my yard).

Thank you!

I guess I better repot them in bigger pots soon -- there are at least 2 of them, and they are growing like weeds.

That's one BIG cat ! How much does he/she weigh ? LOL
sorry, don't know what your plants are.

Its a Cardoon or Artichoke family, I grow it as an ornamental plant for the wonderful foliage in my borders, but then I need big plants, but the slugs/snails love the foliage so watch out for the leaves being eaten, they grow a huge root system so you need a very large pot eventually, they also need a lot of feeding, mine get buckets of manure thrown over them in winter/spring. good luck. WeeNel.

A Cardooon!! Thank you WeeNel !! I wonder how that Cardoon got on my balcony (probably a bird brought it)

I just Googled it, and got:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardoon

So -- pretty blue flowers, edible all over (watch out for the pricklies on the stems.....) AND it's been regarded recently as a possible source of BioDeisel!!

Since it's growing in the same pot as my (recently identified) Paw Paws I think a major transplant project of all inhabitants, to larger pots is due very soon.

And I was wondering when someone was going to ask about the kittyKat -- THAT monster is Big Bad Baby Twinkle. She is 30 inches (76.2 cm) from nose to tip of tail, weighs anywhere from 14-16 pounds (yes she looks like she weighs alot more, she just wears her fluffiness as tho it were fat) , and rules my humble abode -- altho 7 pound Cee Cee kitty has demonstarted that perhaps I am the only one that BBBT rules.

This message was edited Jun 13, 2008 9:29 AM

This message was edited Jun 13, 2008 9:32 AM

I noticed your KK! I have a big orange tabby cat. I bet he weighs 30! He stretches almost al the way across my fullsize bed, including his tail! Aren't they fun?
Audrey

Big Bad Baby Twinkle...great cat name ! Love it.

KK's are fun!!

If I don;t open the (fenced-in) balcony's screen door fast enough for her Hugeness (yes I know, she 1/2 the size of Big Orange Tabby, yet BBBT is still huge), she will head butt it and knock it off its tracks!! LOL!!

Her original name was Baby Twinkle-- she was a dainty little 7 month old ... or so I thought until she started showing us her real charms, about a week later.... thus earning the Big Bad apellation -- but no matter -- she has been such an incredible Purrson to know!!!

UPDATE!!

I have a 1)revelation and a 2)question:

1) Revelation:

the Cardoon turned out to be a Milkweed-- I let it grow and it is BIIIG and beautiful.

2) Question: last week a BEAUTIFUL Caterpillar (for a Black Swallowtail, I believe) was found on the upper stalks of the milkweed and started munching away at the milkweed - it ate and ate and ate for about 4 days, and then seemed to be resting. The next day it was GONE!!!!

BBBT did not eat it -- BBBT was wearing an Elizabethan collar (to keep her from licking off the Frontline I had put on the back of her neck near her shoulder blades) and the collar effectively keeps her from jumping.

The milkweed was about 3 1/2 feet high and in a flowerpot that is about 3 feet high.

I'm on the 5th floor -- and I have a 6 1/2 foot high fence surrounding that balcony -- once in a blue moon a bird comes up there -- but I read that this Caterpillar exudes a really horrible tasting liquid which keeps it from being eaten.

I have searched high and low for the Caterpillar -- what could have happened?!!
(PS-- yes that is a chair seat behind the plant but I used a telephoto lens and it makes the chair seat look closer than it really is)



This message was edited Jul 25, 2008 2:58 PM

You might check under the chair for the caterpillar. I have found cacoons under and behind all kinds of things in the past. The whole caterpillar/butterfly process still amazes me. Science fiction writers couldn't come up with better!!!