Any idea's??

[wildherbalian85]

Not sure which of the umbrella plants this is but my initial thoughts were fools parsley but given that fools parsley is usualy around 80cm and this plant was around 6ft or just over, i thought it might be cows parsley but am a litle unsure because i thought cow's parsley had red stems.
Anyway what i found unusual was the strange colour that the leaves were going on this perticular plant...


any ideas as to what might be happening??
Here is the plant standing at head hight, im 5'6 - my eye hight is around the centre of the picture...



Also can anybody identify this plant for me please??

[wildherbalian85]

I was just on google looking up on cows parsley and i noticed a variety called "ravenswing" and it got me thinking.

To get this colour they would have had to cross breed different strains of cows parsley, this meaning that the colouring in the leaves of this one are a natural trait of this plant (though probably rare) just like the red stems that are often ascociated with cows parsley - the same colouring that was almost totaly absent from the 100's of these plants growing in this area.

[Deer Stalker]

Your last plant looks like Foxglove Digitalis purpurea.

[wildherbalian85]

Originally Posted by Deer Stalker

Your last plant looks like Foxglove Digitalis purpurea.

i know that plant i saw loads of them growing wild around the Devils Punch Bowl - but they were short litle plants unlike those you see in people's gardens which are tall.

Thanks for the I.D though.

[aeshna5]

Yes Cow Parsley.

Last plant doesn't look like Foxglove to me. Looks rather like Green Alkanet. Leaves often have white pimples, but not always!

[wildherbalian85]

Originally Posted by aeshna5

Yes Cow Parsley.

Last plant doesn't look like Foxglove to me. Looks rather like Green Alkanet. Leaves often have white pimples, but not always!

The leaves felt smooth if its any help - like spear mint leave's do, but it wasn't mint.

I shall go back next week and see if it has flowered as it looked like it was starting to bud.

Thank's for the conformation on the Cow's Parsley

[Lance Morgan]

I think its either Comfrey or Alkanet (Common Bugloss)

[Bub-les]

I think its comfrey
Barbara

[Gill Catton]

I have another vote for comfrey.
I have been told in the past that leaves turning purple can just be a stress response by the plant.

[JennyS]

I'll chuck in a vote for Comfrey too......leaves don't seem bristly enough for Alkanet