Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Wondering about a pretty weed.

One of the things I love about my property is the diversity of life that exists here.  Not only animal, but vegetable.  There are always some kind of wild flower (or weed) to make me wonder about.  Yesterday, there was one right beside my driveway that was blooming.  I thought that the flowers were quite pretty.  And anything that grows wild and needs no attention from humans to survive is tops in my book.  Here, take a look:


This next picture shows the entire plant:

 

I know I should have left it alone, but I had to pick just two of the blooms to take into the house for my wife to see and I told her to put them in water.
 
Here is the picture I took after I picked them.  The wind was blowing too hard to get a close up of them on the plant.  It is really very pretty and delicate:
 

I tried to find what they are called by searching the Internet.  So far, I haven't found a perfect match, although I have come close.  The plant I found on the site for Texas wildflowers is white and purple but has the same leaves.  It is called Goat's Rue and here is the picture I found:


So, what do you think?  Is the above flower the same as the one that grows beside my driveway only a different color?  I know who would know.  The Odd Essay would know.  If you are reading this and know if my identification is either correct or not, let me know.  What I know for sure is that they sure are pretty.  Now, you all have a very great day, you hear?

16 comments:

  1. Maybe http://ofmadventures.blogspot.com/2012/09/seed-bullets.html

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    1. The picture in that blog from Sept. 2012 is a mesquite tree. The plant above is a small succulant plant that is low to the ground called Goat's Rue. At least that is the way I think it is. Feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

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    2. Nope, it is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caesalpinia_gilliesii

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  2. A weed is a flower that has not been discovered !

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    1. Or a flower or any plant growing where you don't want it to.

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  3. After the heavy rains, we found our garden full of these "fern" looking sprouts. Under each long limb, the underside of the leaves were lined up with miniature yellow balls. Still don't know what it's called, but it's an invasive weed in Florida.

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    1. Could the little yellow balls be some kind of insect eggs?

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    2. That was my first thought, but after checking on even the tiniest new frond, every one of those balls were lined up like christmas lights...smaller on the smaller leaves, larger on the larger leaves. Which rules out eggs.

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    3. Did you get a picture of the plant?

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  4. That weed is extremely pretty but I've no idea what it is. There are so many wonderful plants out there that we just don't get to see because we're too busy rooting them out of the earth. If only people would let some of those large gardens grow wild, it would be great.

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  5. DD,
    I think the plant that you have there is a variety of Vetch. I could not find an exact picture of it using a Google Search but the flower shape and leaf shape are correct for some kind of vetch. The flower should develop a pod that looks like a pea pod because vetch is from the legume family.

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  6. Do not have a clue as to its identity but it is pretty and best of all you don't have to take care of it!

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  7. Rum Punch, I leave my wild stuff stay wild. I only mow a small percent of my property. Works well for me and the wild plants.

    Ed, So, you don't think it is Goat's Rue?

    MsB, My thoughts exactly.



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    1. No, I don't think it is Goat's Rue. I do think it is related however since Goat's Rue is also in the legume family.
      The plant that you have has one flower at the end of a long thin stem, Goat's Rue has a cluster of flowers on the end of a thicker stem.

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    2. Yes, I see the difference. Thanks Ed.

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