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Flower or weed?
This massive plant appeared in the border in spring, shot up in no time with huge foliage & is now flowering. The speed & size suggests a weed to me & the slightly tatty look of the leaves & flowers. The flower is a recent picture, the foliage from a few weeks ago, it is larger still now & multiheaded in flowering.
However, I did buy some unusual plants from a plant sale that were unlabelled & I don't want to pull it out if it is some type of perennial sunflower or similar.
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Wonderful! Inula magnifica http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/plants/plant_finder/plant_pages/419.shtml
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Don't know what it is but it's certainly impressive. It could be one of the dandelion/knapweed/sow thistle group which are common weeds. If the flowers start to turn into fruiting heads with loads of dandelion-like fruits, whip 'em off and get 'em in the bin/incinerator asap or it'll be all over the garden and neighbouring counties. In the meantime I should just enjoy it as an architectural plant.
Ah well - there you are. There's always someone who knows! Thanks Dove (and congratulations on appearing in print!)
It is well named - magnificent!!!
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
That's excellent, thank you! I knew someone on here would know.
I may have to move it though, as it's right on top of the David Austin Golden Celebration rose I planted a couple of years ago which is still really low & floppy. It's totally hiding it really!
Any ideas when the best time to move it would be? It would be a shame to lose it, perhaps I should leave it to seed & collect some & wait until next year then if there are more it won't feel so risky. Or just cut it back hard after flowering, a perennial should survive that I guess.
you can cut it back any time but I'd move it after it dies back in autumn
In the sticks near Peterborough
Thanks!
That's excellent, thank you! I knew someone on here would know.
I may have to move it though, as it's right on top of the David Austin Golden Celebration rose I planted a couple of years ago which is still really low & floppy. It's totally hiding it really!
Any ideas when the best time to move it would be? It would be a shame to lose it, perhaps I should leave it to seed & collect some & wait until next year then if there are more it won't feel so risky. Or just cut it back hard after flowering, a perennial should survive that I guess.