Home Shop Flowers Bloomin' Blog Find Florists About FSN Contact FSN Florists Only!
Find Your Local Florist:
Home Shop Flowers Bloomin' Blog Find Florists About FSN Contact FSN Florists Only!

Ask The Expert: What Is This Mystery Trumpet Flower?

Ask the Plant Expert:

“I have moonflowers I grew last growing season (I am located in Wyoming) in a pot. I harvested the seeds and planted in several pots this year. What I noticed growing in the middle of our grass, by my children’s trampoline, is something that looks like a hybrid moonflower. The flowers are similar (just smaller). They are just as fragrant, and they are developing seed pods (just like the ‘regular’ moonflower plant). However, it look much different. The leaves are shaper (not rounded like the other plants). Do you think this moonflower somehow bred with a seed to a weed?

datura-mystery-plant datura-mystery-plant2

I am attaching two pictures of the plant in question. It shows the leaves, blooms and seed pods. Any help would be appreciated! I don’t know if I should harvest these seed pods, or destroy them! The plant smells pretty, so I hate to do that, but I also don’t want some weird, unknown thing growing around my yard! Thank you so much!” – Angela

Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply:
I believe what you have there is a relative of your moonflower. Your moonflower is a type of Datura and this new mystery shrub is in the same family. I believe it to be Datura stramonium or Datura leichhardtii. I would think this is more likely to be a random weed than a hybrid of your moonflower and a rogue weed, but I guess stranger things have happened.

Although the flowers are beautiful, all Datura plants contain tropane alkaloids which are toxic, so you might want to keep this in mind when deciding whether it stays or has to go! Hope this helps!

Are These Weeds In My Pasture Toxic To Goats?

Ask The Plant Expert: “Can you identify these weeds? Please Help! I am in Central California and want to pasture some milk goats. I know the one with yellow “fruit” is a member of the Nightshade family and deadly to goats. Please help me identify what is growing here!” – Mad Science

Wild Yellow Fruit Could Be Deadly Redstem Filaree

Malva parviflora -Mallow Erodium

[Read more…]

November Newsletter: Be Thankful

November Flowers

November: Be Thankful

November is here already! The month when we take time out of our busy lives to be thankful for the blessings we have. Sure, there is a day specifically devoted to being thankful, (Thanksgiving is November 22!) but why not observe what you are thankful for the entire month of November? No matter where we are in life, there are so many things to be grateful for.

November is also a month of beautiful flowers. A great way to say ‘Thanks!’ is by sending a beautiful fall arrangement. It doesn’t have to be much, but this simple gesture can make someone truly joyful.

Be thankful of the beauty all around us. Bring fall flowers into your home as an easy way to decorate for the remainder of the season. During Thanksgiving, when family is gathering to celebrate the bounty of our lives, why not display the beauty of fall flowers? Your local florist can create a gorgeous cornucopia flower arrangement for your Thanksgiving table centerpiece. The above flower arrangement, Thanksgiving Feast would look perfect setting near the green bean casserole on your buffet table.

Just remember your local florist this November, for all your fall decorating needs.

[Read more…]

Circle of Life For This Yellow Spiny Weed

Ask The Plant Expert: Here we go again. You identified my crocus (which I suspected) and now I have another “just showed up” plant. She’s cute. She could be a weed. If she’s a plant or flower I will keep her, put her somewhere else. She is in the middle of a landscape project. If she’s a weed, no matter how cute she must go. The circle of life. –Rochelle

Solanum rostratum - Buffalo Bur

Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply: It is a Buffalo-Bur (Solanum rostratum). Depending on your thoughts on poisonous plants, you may want to get rid of it. This plant is in the nightshade family. The leaves and green fruits are poisonous and contain glycoalkaloid solanine.

If humans or animals come in contact with the burs (spines) intense lingering pain can occur. This is especially problematic for dogs who will chew and lick their feet if they step on this plant. It is sad that beautiful plants like these also come with dangers.

Hope this information helps!

Is This A Weed or Flower?

Ask The Plant Expert:  Is this a weed or a flower?

Cleome PictureCleome PictureCleome Picture

Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply: Cynthia,

I believe this is a Cleome which can be either an annual or perennial flower depending on which species it is. Many people love this plant in their garden. I personal like the look but do not like the smell of the plant. In the greenhouses, it smells like cat pee.

I hope this information helps. Please let me know if you need help with anything else.

What Is This Unique Desert Wildflower?

Ask The Plant Expert: I have this “weed” in my Albuquerque, NM area garden.  I have searched for hours in various wild flower and weed identification websites and can’t find it anywhere.  It has woody stems and leathery, succulent leaves.  I would like to move it to another part of my garden, but would also like to know what it is. Any ideas?

Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply: The person helping me identify the plant believes it is a Abronia Umbellata or Abronia Villoso.

One way to get a true positive identification is to take a leaf, bloom and picture to your state extension service office.

Hope this information is helpful.

Please let me know if I can help with anything else.

What Is This Weed Under My Cotoneaster and How Do I Get Rid Of It?

Vetch

Vetch

Ask the Expert: killing weed without killing cotoneaster
What is this weed growing under my cotoneaster shrubs, and how can I kill the weeds without killing the cotoneaster?  I have Trimec Plus for post emerge grass weeds, but would that be safe to spray on the cotoneaster to get at the weeds underneath? Rex


Plant Expert Reply:

What you have is called vetch. It is a weed that we find often in lawns, but will also present itself in shrub beds. Trimec Plus is a product for lawn/turf application only. I would not recommend spraying it on your cotoneaster since it is a “broadleaf” killer. Cotoneaster is considered a broad leaf and therefore Trimec would damage the Cotoneaster. Instead I would wick it with a contact killer like Roundup or Hi Yield Killzall.

The method of wicking involves applying the chemical only to the plant you want to kill. You can surround your cotoneaster with a piece of cardboard and then spray the weed. Or you can take a piece of absorbent material and dip in chemical and then touch the weed.

I usually pull this weed and apply a pre-emerge granule to the soil to keep it from coming up again. I use a product called American weed and grass stopper about twice a year in my beds.

You can get all of the products I mentioned at your local garden center and nursery.

This Flower Shop Network weed identification was brought to you by Houston Florists

Purple Flowering Weed Takes Over Charleston Yard

Spring Vetch - Vicia sativa

Spring Vetch - Vicia sativa

Ask the Expert: Can you ID this weed?
I live in Charleston, SC and it is taking over my yard this spring.  It has a purple flower.
THanks. Mac

Plant Expert Reply:

What you have is called Spring Vetch (Vicia sativa). In most places it is considered a weed. To get rid of it in your yard, you can spray 2 4 D or a Greenlight product called wipe-out. These products will kill the broadleaf weeds in your yard, but they will not harm the grass.  Your local garden center and nursery in will have this product on the shelf. They will be able to tell you how to mix it and when to spray it in your area.

Caution: 2 4 d or wipe out can only be used in yards. It can not be used in shrub beds.

This weed identification question was sponsored by the local florists in Charleston SC.

What Is This Early Spring Weed With Purple Flower

lamium-amplexicaule-henbitAsk the Expert: Can you identify this plant? (weed) Picture enclosed, I hope, Thanks. Rufus

Plant Expert Reply:

The plant is called Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule). Members of the Lamium genus can run the gamut from annuls to perennials and from wanted to unwanted plants. In this case Henbit is usually considered a weed. It usually pops up in early spring in lawns, flower & shrub beds. In the lawn, you can spray 2 4 D to get rid of it. It is a little more tricky in the shrub beds because the 2 4 D will damage the shrubs and the flowers if the chemical gets on them. I recommend pulling the Henbit that is in the shrub, but would spray the Henbit that is in the lawn.

Flower Shop Network is a proud sponsor of this weed identification question.

Mystery Visitor Is A Weed Called Acalypha

mystery-weedmystery-weed-from-moAsk the Expert: what might this plant be?
Foud it in my wildflower garden next to False Sunflowers and New England
Asters. Might be a weed, Earl

Plant Expert Reply:

I believe it is a Acalypha virginica (Virginia threeseed mercury).  It is considered a weed with mild allergen properties.  It is a member of the Euphorbiaceae family.

Just a side note:  This plant is a sister to a houseplant called Chenille plant (Acalypha hispida).  Which just goes to show you one man’s weed is another man’s treasure.