Most likely it's the Snowflake, or Leucojum. The bells are spotted with green. Snowdrops are a bit rare here in Oz unless the climate is cold and are much more delicate.

Thanks Annabel, but it would appear to be neither snowflake nor snowdrop. It is bell shaped with a short yellow stamen and six petals which have a fine green stripe down the inner centre. There is a cluster of approx 20 flowers per stalk which have their own stem similar to a cluster of cherries. The strap like leaves resemble the daffodil. Any other ideas?

Woori

Sounds gorgeous. I had some seeds which i was sure were daylilies and i had watched where I put them. But last year they were nothing like daylilies but still very pretty and much smaller. They are only about 10cm tall, with leaves like iris, and about 5 small flowers on the stalk, each with 5 petals and yellow stamens. The seed has multiplied so am saving the baby plants.

I don't suppose they would belong to the allium family - do they have a garlicky smell?

You might like to have a look at the site below. Lots of bulbs listed, with photos and descriptions. Might be of some help in identifying your plants.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://rareplants.co.uk/index.htm

Thanks Wombat, but I can't find it. They don't have a garlicky smell. Their petals are not like the snowdrop with three inner and three outer. All six petals are the same and quite narrow. The stem and leaves are definitely like daffs and the cluster is reminiscent of jonquils. The petals with the green stripe is the thing. Have tried on other forums with no luck. The plant is about 15" tall. From a distance you would say it was snowdrops, til you see the petals. Except of course that snowdrops don't have clusters.

Woori

Lachanalia?

Thanks Sparrowoz but its nothing like Lachanalia.

Woori

Your flower has me intrigued. If you have some time to spare, have a look through the images on this site.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/T78.HTM

Have a look at some photos of Ornithogalum nutans (Nodding Star of Bethelem). I looked at it on the abovementioned site and then did a Google search for more.

If you want to make a more technical comparison of stamens, etc., have a look at this picture.

I love this site. I've printed up a few of the pictures and framed them.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:2116021}}

Hi Wombat,
I checked out the NS of B, but no joy. The NS has flowers along the stalk whereas mine are in a cluster at one point. The NS is wide open with a large stamen but mine is more bell shaped with a smallish stamen. Mine kind of nod like the Snowdrop.

Thanks anyway. Will check your sites a little further when I have more time.

Woori

I know you said that it didn't smell like garlic - but does it have an unpleasant smell? I have angled onion weed,(three cornered garlic) that dominates my back garden. It has the green strip down each petal like you described. It is pretty, but stinks like rotting veggies when you walk through it.

Here is a link that might be useful: angled onion weed

Thanks Hetty,
That's the closest I've seen yet. The picture definitely looks a lot like it. Mine do have 20 + heads, but they also have 6 petals, not 5. I will have to check the odour again, but I'm sure it isn't garlicky. Maybe mine is a cross with something?

Woori

Try searching for a photo of Galtonia candicans. This may be your plant.
I am also wondering if it might be a white agapanthus.

Thanks Sparaxis,
But no. All the flowers hang from the one point and it is not an agapanthus.

Woori

Back to the resemblance to onion weed - there are quite a few alliums (basically onion weed) which are desirable garden plants.

Listed below is address of Stueber's alphabetical list - there are a number of alliums listed which you might like to look at.

Bear in mind that Stueber did these drawings over 100 years ago and there are probably more varieties around today. I find his drawings extemely handy for identification purposes - showing, as they do, root system, seed pods, etc.

Alliums are sold by most bulb suppliers and, no doubt, at least one variety was being grown on the former bulb farm.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://caliban.mpiz-koeln.mpg.de/~stueber/thome/Alphabetical_list.html

After Wombat's tip on allium's I have been investigating the web and have found a picture of what I have in my garden that sounds really similar. What I have is not angled onion weed (as I previously thought), but a white garlic, sold as an ornamental in some countries and considered a noxious weed in others. Either way it is certainly prolific in my garden, and not particularly welcome - even though it is very pretty, and the flowers smell quite nice. This plant does not have a garlicy or onion smell like other alliums.

Here is a link that might be useful: Allium Neapolitanum

Are your plants still in flower?? I hope so.

Allium Triquetrum (Three Cornered Leek, or Three Cornered Garlic) may be the one - 6 petals, multiple flowers drooping from central point, yellow stamens, green stipe down the inside petal.

Botanica has a nice photo (you could have a look next time you are in a bookshop) and describes it -

"One of the most easily recognised alliums, on account of its sharply 3-angled thick flowering stems. Allium Triquetrum is native to the western Mediterranean region. It can form dense clumps with flattish, soft green leaves rather like bluebell leaves and the 24-45 cm flowering stems bear small umbrels of gracefully drooping 18mm white bell shaped flowers in spring and early summer. It commonly naturalises and may sometimes become a nuisance."

I found a very good picture (click on it to enlarge) on the following site. It has a heap of photos on the page and took ages to load. The photo you want is No.116, about half way down.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.bium.univ-paris5.fr/sbf/activ_sardaigne.htm

Thanks Hetty, But it still looks like angled onion weed with six petals. I think that Wombat has found it. It would seem that different sites state it has either five or six petals. If you take the angled onion weed link of Hetty's but the closeup of Wombat you have my plant. After all that, it is still classified a weed! Wouldn't you know it? Thanks for all the help. I will still keep it in the garden because I think it looks great and flowers forever.
Woori

Just remember, Woori, that a weed is only a plant growing in the wrong place! And climate, soil and opportunity make the difference.

I made the mistake of buying an evening primrose (desirable cottage garden plant) from a nursery some years ago. It totally invaded my garden and I still have to do the annual Roundup dance. What is the attraction in my garden that doesn't seem to apply in others?

Enjoy your plant.

I know what you mean, Wombat. I planted California Poppies and was 'rounding up' for years.

Woori

Hi all,

That angled onion plant is what I have and roundup doesn't seem to have an effect on it. I've sprayed them twice liberally and the leaves are slightly tinged yellow and are drooping.

This has been done over a month and it's been at least three days before the plants got wet in the rain.

Any ideas??? I don't want to poison the soil they are in and due to them growing up through cracks in the concrete I can't dig them out.

Cheers
Desi

Desi, It has a bulb like any other, so probably all you have to do is strengthen your mix. I have accidentally killed daffs when going for nutgrass with Roundup, so it should work.

Woori

Try using boiling water on them if they are in the cracks in the concrete.
If you do this repeatedly, killing the foliage, you will evenually starve the bulbs.
Cheers, Jan

When I lived in Sydney (years ago) I had a backyard infested with nut grass. It came up through anything and I'm sure it caused the cracks in the concrete.

I was at the Royal Easter Show and spotted a Dept of Agriculture stall so I sought professional advice. I explained my problem and asked how to get rid of the nut grass. Without a glimmer of a smile, the knowledgeable gentleman gave me his one word of advice - "Move".

Yes - when we moved here, I left behind me a problem with passionfruit rootstock sending up plants all through a garden bed. My heart sunk when the old owners mentioned that there was a passionfruit vine on the end of the verandah which hadn't borne fruit for 5 years, and the leaves looked different to when they bought it.
First thing I did, within a week of moving in, was rip it out. The next step was to roundup the hundreds of little runners that came up through the lawn, up to 15ft from the parent plant. After 2 years, I have lamost got rid of it.
I was smart enough not to bring any evening primrose with me, among the many pots of plants and cuttings I moved. The Johnny Jump-ups (violas) came, but I can live with them.
Cheers, Jan

Yes, that passionfruit rootstock is a pain! I'm still battling the same problem in one of my beds.Regular weeding seems sufficiently effective.

I am currently waging war on the weeds that have hitchhiked from things given to me in pots from my mother's garden. especially oxalis and onion weed. I'm confident that I've caught the problem early enough, but fingers crossed. I'm usually anti sprays, but when it comes to nipping these two in the bud....it's no holes barred!
I have had a beautiful oxalis come up in a difficult dry spot in one of the beds. Lovely large yellow flowers and very pretty. From other discussions I'm starting to think that it may be soursob, so I mulched it very thickly to at least slow it down while I made a decision what to do. Will I be sorry if I let it stay?