Another identification request

16 years ago

Just brought a house with a garden intact. Since it's there, I'm starting gardening. These plants popped up in part of the garden. I'm guessing they must be perennial herbs. I'm hoping to identify so that I could decide to keep it or not.

I would have guessed that this was grass except it was evenly spaced apart.

From looking at pictures, I'm guessing this one is cilantro, but not sure.

Think this might be weed, but it gives off a strong smell when I pulled it. It's also a bit reddish on the bottom.

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Comments (9)

CA Kate z9
16 years ago
The first looks like something from the onion family. Does it smell when you break a leaf.

I'm pretty sure the second is the herb Angelica archangelica.

Can't say about the third.
fatamorgana2121
16 years ago
The first could also be one of the spring bulbs as well. As suggested, check for an onion or garlic smell.

I'm not 100% sure the second is angelica. It could be but it could be something else too. There are plants that do look similar - even ones that are very poisonous. Do not eat or taste unless a 100% ID is made by an expert. I'm not trying to scare, I just want you to be safe.

Can you get a better view of the leaves of the 3rd plant?

FataMorgana
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grandtrain
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks for the help so far. I was planning to just eat it, just to see how it was, but I'll back off on it for now.

I added some pictures just of the plants in the ground. Might be easier to tell that way.
andy_sa
16 years ago
Third one looks like Houttuynia cordata.Was there an orangey smell?
The first one looked to me like garlic chives as soon as I saw the pic, but there are a number of species it could be. Worth checking out maybe.
cyrus_gardner
16 years ago
The first one looks like garlic or leek chive. Just crush and smell.Also pull one out.
Should have a small bulb. Again, crush smell test. Probably garlicy.
The second one belongs to celery, prsley. I would say it is chinese celery.
Was the previous owner Asian?
The third one, I have noclue.
grandtrain
Original Author
16 years ago
The previous owner was Asian, which makes Houttuynia cordata and chinese celery pretty good candidates.

The cordata also made sense since I got to clear a whole bed filled with the thing, roots and leaves, because it overtook a good chunk of the garden. Fits with the invasive aspect of the plant.
cyrus_gardner
16 years ago
"The previous owner was Asian "
----------------------------------

Mystery solved.
The first one definitly is garlic chive then. It is a common chinese veggie. I have some that are maybe 6 yrs old.
Tey grow like grass; cut them at ground level, they will grow back,fast.
If you do not cut them, the will flower and produce seeds.
hydro_nutrients
16 years ago
The first picture really looks like garlic chives, the second picture may be cilantro or coriander and the third looks more of a bay laurel to me...
flora_uk
16 years ago
No - not bay by a long chalk. Bay is a tree, not a low growing perennial. It is woody with tough ovate leaves not fleshy cordate leaves.