Name That Plant!Perennials Garden Clinic

Please help identify these two flowers

3 years ago

last modified: 3 years ago

I thought the first plant ( 1st three pics) was going to be a white echinacea, as the leaves looked the same and white echinacea are growing next to it.. but then came these many really odd flower heads, almost cancerous looking. So curious to find out what is growing there?

The other plant ( last three pics) was given to me last year by a lady who had started it from seed and told me it was a trumpet vine. I realized soon that that was not true, but still kept it. Now it is growing big leaves, and tiny white flowers... what is it please ?

Featured Answer

rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7

3 years ago

doriswk, Asters Yellow is a systemic bacterium-like phytoplasma. It cannot be cured or halted by removing those parts that are showing signs of disease…..the entire plant is infected. To make matters worse, the disease is passed from plant to plant by a small piercing-sucking insect, a type of little leafhopper. This little critter really gets around, to say the least, carrying that disease with it from plant to plant.

Asters Yellow disease is what makes many people give up on Echinacea entirely, I am sad to say. I am one of the EX Echinacea growers, I am sad to say. It is irresponsible to try to use pesticides, including systemic pesticides, on a plant that is so attractive to all kinds of pollinating insects, in order to try to control the leaf hopper. Frankly, that’s a losing proposition, anyway.

By all means, do some more reading, preferably in University based sites to learn more. You will learn that there is no cure for Asters Yellow. It can affect many, many different types of plants, some of which you may have in your landscape. If you don’t cull diseased plants, the leaf hoppers will spread it around.

I haven’t let myself be tempted by Echinacea for over fifteen years.

As for the Pokeweed. I strongly suggest that you get rid of it long before it sets seeds. What a nuisance those weeds are.

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Comments (16)

Barrheadlass
3 years ago
Pictures?
doriswk
Original Author
3 years ago
please look again
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ruth_mi
3 years ago
Unfortunately, the first picture looks like echinacea with aster yellows. I'm not an expert, so others may have better input.
doriswk thanked ruth_mi
peren.all Zone 5a Ontario Canada
3 years ago
I agree with ruth. Dig it out bag it and put it in the trash. I do hope I am wrong about plant #2 but it appears to be Phytolacca americana - pokeweed.
doriswk thanked peren.all Zone 5a Ontario Canada
cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Yes, second plant is poke weed. Native and loved by wildlife. Easy to pull out when it is small if it is a spot you don't want it. It is actually a very pretty plant.
doriswk thanked cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
doriswk
Original Author
3 years ago
So, bad news on both accounts ! I have never heard of aster yellows before, just googled it. Oh my gosh, I have watched this echinacea grow for several weeks, should have taken action much earlier ! We have literally hundreds of cone flowers in different colours in various parts of the garden, plus about a dozen of sunflowers, and many chrysanthemums. I really don't want to destroy all of them.

And the 2nd plant is a weed ? I was told to keep it indoors for the 1st winter, which I did ! I babied a weed !!! It least I can laugh about this. About the 1st plant not.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
3 years ago
the pokeweed is highly toxic. and the grape like berries can attract small children... teach them to avoid such.. or eradicate the plants..

birds spread them everywhere...

it has horseradish like roots.. and its perennial.. and you will have a hard time every pulling it off after the second year...

https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ftsa&q=pojeweed+roots&iax=images&ia=images

it dies to the ground.. and i have no clue why you would keep it in the house over winter.. it thrives in my ground freeze mi... i dont know if the dormancy is requisite....

whoever told you that.. is either a good friend pulling your leg.. or a mean person.. unless the gift plant died.. and this weed overtook the spot...

ken
rosaprimula UK (Cambridge) Z8/9
3 years ago
O Doris,I am sure we have all lovingly nurtured a weed (my last one was one of the willowherbs).
doriswk thanked rosaprimula UK (Cambridge) Z8/9
doriswk
Original Author
3 years ago
Hoping that someone with experience with aster yellows will chime in. The plant in question is now bagged and in the trash. But inspecting nearby cone flowers, I notice some mild deformities in some of these cones. I am tempted to just remove these flowers as well, but the more rational side of my brain is telling me to remove the whole plant. Or even all ??? Arggg...
djacob Z6a SE WI
3 years ago
Yikes! This post made me go out and look at my coneflowers, here’s what I found ===>> aster yellows! Never heard of it before although I have had some funny looking coneflower head for the last couple of years. Do I remove the two bunches I have? Actually been thinking of doing that anyway.

debra
peren.all Zone 5a Ontario Canada
3 years ago
Debra that is likely not Asters yellow, there is a mite and perhaps a weevil that can cause damage. Here is some good info https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/6384337/am-i-dealing-with-aster-yellows#n=4
doriswk
Original Author
3 years ago
I already read about and come to accept that there is no cure for Asters Yellow. And totally agree with rhizo_1 that pesticides are out of the question. I am in the process of removing all visibly infected cone flower plants and realize that it is just a question of time when sadly all have to go. And probably my asters and chrysanthemums, too...

What did you replace your echinacea with ?

I really do so love the looks of them, the fact that they are pollinators, and bloom for a long period of time...
djacob Z6a SE WI
3 years ago
Peren, I think it is my third pic that had me most concerned….it has like a small flowerette like thing on the right extending out from the side.🫣

debra
peren.all Zone 5a Ontario Canada
3 years ago
Better safe than sorry Debra. I just thought it would be interesting to share that with you.
doriswk
Original Author
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Reading up on aster yellows and the mites that can plague echinacea, I suspect I might have both in one location, possibly just the mite damage in another location. I am tempted to just remove the mite damaged heads in that latter location and see how they will grow next year.... ...what do you suggest to replace echinacea with ? Any other pretty looking long blooming pollinator perennials ? ? ?