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5 Petal Cream Flower Is A Hibiscus

Hibiscus Bloom

Hibiscus Bloom

Ask the Expert: Can you identify this plant?
I have a plant that I would like to have identified. I have attached a picture below.  The leaves are a medium green and are elongated with serrated edges.  The blossom is a cream colour and I have had trouble identifying the exact colour of the centre – it is either a deep vibrant brown or a deep purple.  There are 5 petals on each flower and yellow stamens in the centre.  The flower is in bloom when I awake in the morning and when the plant is in shade or when it is dusk, the flowers are spent. Lin

Plant Expert Reply:

I can’t see a leaf clearly to make a positive identification on the species but it definitely in the Hibiscus genus.  I would guess a Hibiscus moscheutos (common rose mallow or swamp rose mallow) or a Hibiscus trionum (Flower-of-an-hour).  The rose mallows  are woody-based perennials hardy in zone 5-10.  The Flower-of-an-hour are short-lived perennials that are hardy in zone 10-11.

This plant identification was brought to you by Flower Shop Network.

What Is This Flowering Plant Found In Massachusetts?

Nipponanthemum nipponicum

Nipponanthemum nipponicum

Ask the Expert: WHAT IS THIS FLOWERING PLANT?
HI,I LIVE IN MASSCHUSETTS AND RECENTLY THIS PAST SUMMER I FOUND THIS PLANT GROWING IN MY BACKYARD BUT I DID NOT PLANT IT. IT HAS A BARE BROWNISH 10 12′ STALK WITH THE THICK RUBBER LIKE LEAVES ALL GROWING UP TOP IN A THICK CLUSTER.IT STARTED TO BUD IN EARLY SEPTEMBER BUT HAS YET TO FLOWER.PLEASE HELP IN IDENTIFYING THIS FOR ME.

THANK YOU,
MICHAEL IN MASSACUSETTS

Plant Expert Reply:

I needed a little help identifying this plant.  I knew I had seen it before but just couldn’t put my finger on the name for it.  So I contact the fabulous people at Tower Hill Botanical Garden in Boylston Massachusetts for some help. (They have an awesome botanical garden with some fantastic educational programs)

Here is their reply

Hi Jamie,
You may have your answer by now, but the plants looks like a Nippon or Montauk daisy to me.  You could look it up on Google Images to see if that is what yours looks like. It is evidently a native of Japan and first found here on the shore near Montauk, NY.
Best,
Sukey Haney

After looking at several pictures of Nipponanthemum nipponicum (Nippon/Montauk daisies), I believe that is what your plant is.  In the past this plant was classified as Chrysanthemum nipponicum.

Nippoanathemum are hardy in zones 5 to 9 and make an excellent cut flower. This shrubby perennial attracts butterflies and loves full sun.  Trim it back in the spring to maintain the shape. 

Please send me a picture when it blooms.  From the look of the healthy plant, it should be gorgeous when it blooms.

Just a little side note: If you are in the Boylston Massachusetts area this weekend,  the Tower Hill Botanic Garden is hosting 2 flowers shows and from Sept 26th until November they have an amazing scultpure show.

White Night Bloomer Is Hymenocallis harrisiana

White Flower Hymenocallis harrisiana

White Flower Hymenocallis harrisiana

Ask the Expert: identify night bloomer
the flower blooms randomly every few years & starts blooming @ dusk & completes a bloom cycle in ~5 minutes.  i’d appreciate you identifying it & providing any online info that is available about it.  thanks – ed johnston

Plant Expert Reply:

You have a type of Hymenocallis probably a Peruvian daffodil (Hymenocallis harrisiana) or a Spider lily (Hymenocallis acutifolia).  The plants all in the Amaryllidacaea family.  They are bulbous perennials.

Different species of this plant have different blooming cycles. The first hymenocallis will bloom in spring followed by summer blooming ones and finally autumn blooming ones. You can find them in a native habitat in  United States from Indiana, Kentucky, Virginia, south to the Carolinas, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas. They are also found in Mexico, Central America and South America.

You can find more information about hymenocallis at http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=HYLI.

Yellow Wildflower

Yellow Wildflower

Yellow Wildflower

Wildflower Leaf

Wildflower Leaf

Ask the Expert: What Flower is this?
4 to 6 foot tall
Multiple blooms up to 3 inches in diameter Paul

Plant Expert Reply:

This one was a little tricky the bloom looks like one kind of plant and the leaf another.  However, I believe the wildflower you have is a Rudbeckia laciniata.  It is a perennial hardy in zones 3-9.  It will bloom from mid-summer ot mid-autumn.

Surprise Lily Makes An Appearance

Ask the Expert: I may have old world day lily. The plant foliage comes up in spring and looks similar to daffodil, but larger. Leaves die back during July. After the leaves die, stem grows out of ground to the height of 3 ft. Each stem produces lily-like flowers 6 to each stem at the top of the stem in a circle.  They are white at edges pink at center. Six petals to each flower and delicate day lily look. If you have a clue let me know i will give more info. Donna

Plant Expert Reply:

Surprise Lily (Lycoris squamigera)

Surprise Lily (Lycoris squamigera)

I believe you have, what we call in the mid-south, a surprise lily.  So named because it seems overnight to pop up a bloom stalk with blooms and no appearance of leaves.  Surprise lilies (Lycoris squamigera) are sometimes called naked lily, resurrection lily, magic lily, mystery lily, hardy amaryllis, or Guernsey lily.  They come from a bulb and can be planted right under sod.

Nerine Bowdenii Spider Lily

Nerine Bowdenii Spider Lily

Another possibility is the Spider Lily (Nerine bowdenii) which is in the same family, Amaryllidaceae, as Lycoris.

In fact, the common names for each are often assigned to the other one as well.  For example Nerine is sometimes called surprise lily, Guernsey lily and are produced from a bulb just like Lycoris.

Each type of lily comes in a range of colors from white to purple and even a reddish color. They like full sun to partial shade, but full sun produces the best blooming.  Once planted they will come up year after year without much care.

In my area, we call this a homestead plant.  Many old homesteads have this flowering blooming in their yards.

For more information about the Lycoris squamigera, check out Floridata surprise lily page.

For more information about the Nerine bowdenii, check out Pacific Bulb Society Nerine page.

If your flower looks different, send me a picture and we will try to make a different identification.

Just Call Her Veronica

Ask the Expert: Can you identify this flower?

Veronica spicata

Veronica spicata

My wife and I saw this flowering plant in a garden near our home and we were intigued.  It stands only about a foot tall and the blue flowering stems are only about 6 inches in length.  I have attached a picture.  Can you identify it for us? Cliff

Plant Expert Reply:

It looks like a perennial called Veronica spicata,  possibly ‘Darwin Blue’ or ‘Royal Candles’.  I have a different Veronica spicata  cultivar ‘Blue Bouquet’ in my garden and I love it.  It performs very very in my area and is an attractive backdrop for the soft pink ground cover rose in my garden.  Veronica is also known as Speedwell and a fantastic summer bloomer.

What Is This Orange-red Bloom From SW Viriginia

Crocosmia - Montbretia

Crocosmia - Montbretia

Ask the Expert: Do you know what this flower is?
This flower appeared in my mom’s garden in SW Virgina and is in bloom now. She does not remember planting it but we don’t think it is a wildflower either. Any ideas? Jerusha

Plant Expert Reply:

The plant is called Crocosmia aurea, commonly known as Montbretia.  It is a clump-forming cormous perennial that is often used as a cut flower.  I have a variety of this in my garden.  Mine is called ‘Lucifer’, but I’m not sure which type you have. I sometimes cut the blooms and use them with other flowers from my garden in an arrangement for my kitchen.  It is definitely a keeper.  In fact, Monbretia is one of the few perennials my husband says is a must in any garden.

Although Crocosmia will germinate from seed, the only way I have every started the plant in my garden is with the corms.  Crocosmia is nice perennial that comes up every year with out any extra care and the clump will increase slightly each year.  It will bloom off and on June through August. I make sure mine is mulched going into winter and fertilize it occasionally during the growing season.  I basically ignore this plant and it still performs for me year after year.  So enjoy this mysterious flower gift.

Blanket Flower Is Always Covered With Blooms

Gaillardia

Gaillardia

Ask the Expert: Flower identification
This perennial blooms in June.  Any ideas on identification?  Thanks!
Phil

Plant Expert Reply:

This is an awesome perennial called Gaillardia (Indian Blanket Flower) and will bloom all summer long.  This is one of the few perennials that will give me color all summer.  The only down side to this perennial is that it will come up everywhere if you let it.

Perennial Flowers For Father’s Day

Ask the Expert: What perennial is easy to grow?
I want to give my friend seeds to plant on Father’s Day to remember her Father who just passed away last month.  I think it would be a nice gift if every year she has a flower that blooms and reminds her of her dad.  I was hoping to find a perennial flower that symbolizes rememberance that is easy to plant and grow in the suburbs of Chicago.  She does not have a green thumb so something that basically requires very little or no attention would be preferable.  Does such a flower exist?  Joanna

Plant Expert Reply:

The first perennial that come to mind is the Myosotis (Forget-me-not flower).  This plant has long been used as a short-lived perennial that symbolizes remembrance or memories.  It come in blue, white, blush and yellow flowers. It should be easy to start from seed.

However, there are several perennials I would choose instead of Forget-me-nots.  Although these perennials don’t necessarily have a meaning associated with them, I would choose Balloon Flower (Platycodon grandiflorous), Blanket Flower (Galardia x grandiflora), or Garden Phlox (Phlox paniculata). These perennials are easy grow from seed, fairly easy to maintain and bloom longer than most perennials flowers.

Keep in mind perennials even though they come back every year require a lot of work. Your friend will need to tend to the bed throughout the year to keep it free from weeds. If your friend doesn’t have a green thumb, an annual bed or pot garden might be a better way to remember her dad this Father’s Day. Annual beds and pots are a little easier to maintain because you can start from scratch each year. It could also become a future tradition. She could sow Zinnias which are symbolically used for “Daily Remembrance” in a pot or in an annual bed every year. They are fairly easy to care for and a beautiful way to remember her father.

Whatever you choose for her, I’m sure she will appreciate the thoughtfulness of your gift. Flowers are a wonderful way to help comfort those we love.

This Blue Flower Goes By May Knight Salvia

Salvia x sylvestris 'May Knight'

Salvia x sylvestris 'May Knight'

Ask the Expert: What is this?
This flowering plant is currently planted in central Pennsylvania and is about 18-20′ tall. What is it? :)
Thanks,
~Karen

Reply:

You have a beautiful specimen of a perennial from the salvia family.  The plants name is Salvia x slyvestris ‘May Knight’ or May Knight Salvia.  It is a wonderful plant and the butterflies and bees love it.  Although I have a pretty one in my garden, it is not nearly as beautiful as yours.