Plant id help

[nitram55]

Can anybody tell me what this is ?, there are a lot of these just coming through in some newly planted woodland.

My plant ID skills are very poor but i am getting there slowly

Thanks
Martin

 

[Fenlander]

It looks as though it could be Fox Glove

 

[hollowdweller]

Almost looks like Wood Sage Teucrium Scorodonia or some other form of Germander.

You might do a net search under Wood Sage or Germander(there are a number of varieties) and compare pics. I have T. Scorodonia and T. Caucasian in my herb bed and that looks more like Scorodonia but it's hard to really tell from a pic.

Found a link

http://www.floralimages.co.uk/pteucrscoro.htm#4ae

That would be a younger one you have pictured IF it is T Scorodonia.

In her book "The Herbal Handbook for Farm and Stable" JB Levy mentions it's use for treating mastitis in goats.

 

[fred gordon]

Hi,
I would agree that it's Foxglove. The first year it grows from seed, but does not flower, and overwinters insmall plants like the one in your photograph. If you watch it this year it will send up the long stem that will hold the flowers towards the end of the summer.
Hope this helps

 

[JonnyP]

I would favour wood sage, after looking at some photo's, though I would not rule out foxglove. I seem to remember that wood sage has a sagey smell to it, so try crushing a leaf and smelling, but if it is foxglove then it would be advisable to wash your hands after as it is poisonous. Let us know what it is when it flowers.............Jon

 

[Toddy]

From your photo it looks like foxglove to me too.If there are quite a lot of them, try lifting one with a small trowel; if it's foxglove the roots will be tough, string like, cream coloured ones, stretching out evenly around the plant. It'll bed back down again fine.
There are three other plants that come up like the one you show at this time of year; one is lemon balm (melissa) but the lemony scent is unmistakeable, campion comes up in those opening twist of leaves too, but the leaves are more pointed and smoother, the other is comfrey which is usually downy on the underside and the roots are thick.

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[Moonraker]

my vote goes for Wood Sage too from the photo but post another photo in a week or so's time

 

[fred gordon]

Hi Again,
Just been looking at this again and notice that it is growing in recently planted woodland. Foxglove really thrives on disturbed ground where Wood sage prefers more established sites. But I agree it would be good to see another pic. in a few weeks. Some of my Foxgloves here are still under snow!

 

[Moonraker]

check them out side by side:

Young Foxglove

Young Wood Sage

I would say (from the detail we have in the photo) that the plant has a more lanceolate (pointed) leaf form like the wood sage, and that of the foxglove which tends to have a rounder form (depending a bit on species) to the apices (tip).

 

[hollowdweller]

I may be totally wrong on this but I'm thinking there's something like a square main stem on the wood sage? Maybe that might help if you could find out for sure. Good topic! :You_Rock_

 

[Toddy]

What sort of soil is Staffs? I'm on heavy clay here, very wet, and I don't get wood sage at all, even though, according to the maps I ought to find it quite commonly.
http://www.ecoflora.co.uk/

http://www.the-tree.org.uk/EnchantedForest/WoodlandFlowers/woodsage.htm seems ot prefer drier conditions.

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[nitram55]

Thanks for all the input, I will keep an eye on them and post some more pics as they grow

Thanks
Martin

 

[The Joker]

I would say Wood Sage as they have slightly pointy ends to the leaves as Fox Glove's are a bit more rounded on the tips.

 

[nitram55]

Had a look around today and found a more mature specimen

Martin

 

[Moonraker]

OK, now I am wavering