If anyone knows what the heck this thing is I would be very grateful. I have not always been good about keeping up with plant ID- this is either a weed that showed up in my seed area or a seed that I got from some miscellaneous DG trade. It grows like a rocket and doesn't seem to get a woody stem. It makes tiny little orangish flowers that don't last long and don't make much of an impact.
Here is a close up of the leaves.
Probably Sesbania punicea, if not then a close relative. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/1256/ It's a pretty common weed in many parts of the south.
Oh, wow, this reminded me of something I totally forgot about. Around 4-5 years ago I had a nice collection of elephant ears. In one of the pots grew this plant that looks exactly like yours. It started out looking small and ferny, so I let it grow. It grew about 5-6 feet tall and had small white pea-like flowers on it. It set seed and I cut it down. It was an interesting plant to grow, but almost downright ugly. I was actually afraid it might have been a noxious weed. But your plant looks EXACTLY like the one I had. You had orange flowers though right? It'll be interesting to find out what it is.
EDIT: I see ecrane replied the same time I did. That link he posted is interesting. The blooms on my plant looked the same only white. Very intesting. Must be very closely related.
This message was edited Jul 2, 2008 6:36 PM
There are white flowered Sesbania species as well (by the way, I'm a girl :-) )
Hmmm. Sesbenia, at least the genus, seems like a good candidate. This is going to require more pictures....... the flowers are similar to the punicea, but not the same and individual from what I've seen so far- not a bract. I think they also form right at the junction of a branch. We are talking hardly noticeable. Might be able to get some more pics tomorrow evening if there are flowers. Thanks for your input (guys and?) gals.
You might look up Sensitive Plant (Mimosa pudica) too. I use to have a garden full of these. They were legumes. When you would touch them the leaves would fold up.
Sensitive plant is a lot smaller than this and has pink fuzzball flowers.
Tried that Dean, thanks. Mimosa pudica was one of the seeds I was supposed to have received in a trade. I have gotten a few things that weren't identified correctly in trades, so I am guessing this thing is one of them although I have a new unidentified legume seedling in one of my germination boxes (lending itself to the weed theory).
Well, I had some that were called Senisitive Plant. It was probally an incorrect name. They reached over 6' tall.
As far as I am aware, there are several species that are called sensitive plant. I have one that is like a ground cover. There is a native in central Florida we used to see at parks that was more like a shrub. And, as far as common names go, I got some seeds in a trade that were supposed to be Mimosa. Took me until just recently to realize that most of the world outside the US apparently calls some Acacia species a Mimosa. When I potted it up, I was like- why the heck do these roots smell like garlic? And then.......come to think of it, since when does a mimosa have thorns??? But, it can stay. I like thorny things in my yard!
Dean--when I made my comment, I was going off of you listing the botanical name as Mimosa pudica, I assumed since you listed the Latin name that was the sensitive plant you were referring to.
That's okay, ecrane. I know what you meant. :)
I finally got a good picture of an open flower. It doesn't seem to want to open up on rainy days.
Based on the flower color I'm going to go with Sesbania herbacea http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/68448/
Looks like the following is your Sesbania:
http://www.ppws.vt.edu/scott/weed_id/sebex.htm
Same as shown in the post just above this one.
This message was edited Jul 7, 2008 6:55 PM
Hmmmm......and the consensus is- WEED! Here is another link http://www.invasive.org/browse/detail.cfm?imgnum=1299052
and the pictures and unopened flower color look exactly like the plant I have. Seems like there can be some variation in the flower color. Thanks everyone!
Thanks everyone.....I have them everywhere! Can't pull them up fast enough! Was just wondering the same thing.
My neighbor down the street has a tall tree with a similar leaf. But I do not need weeds or more trees, so I guess I will keep pulling them up!!!!!!!
