Identify plant
+10
Can someone please tell me what this is? Just moved to the home and don't want to take out plants if they are flowering.
13 answers
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almost looks like a thistle to me, but not sure
Lorna Merryfield
on May 01, 2015
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It is not a thistle and I can't enlarge the picture to see a close up of the leaves. But, from what I can see, I think it is a perennial salvia. When it blooms it will have a tall spike with flowers. Look it up on the web when it blooms and see if that is indeed your plant.
Joan Leahy
on May 01, 2015
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I have mounding Dianthus that looks like that and gets pretty reddish pink flowers.
Kathy Mahoney
on May 01, 2015
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I googled the salvia as mentioned by Joan Leahy above and found this that looks identical to what is in your pic.
Mimi Ka-rick
on May 01, 2015
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I don't know the name--it does get yellow flowers..I think it's a weed and I pulled it out because it was taking over 2 of my 4 flowers beds...It's a weed in my book and fast grower too.
Nancy France
on May 01, 2015
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mint ?
Donna Demmers
on May 01, 2015
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Not mint. Looks like perennial salvia. Let it bloom before you pull it out (blooms should be purple) and if you're still unsure, take the bloom to a nursery for identification.
Dottie Unruh
on May 04, 2015
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Thank you for all the input...I guess I will wait and see what happens! If it blooms I will post the pic.
Heather Spindler
on May 04, 2015
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Maybe it's a balloon flower?
Bonnie Vannaman
on May 05, 2015
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As far as I can see, I think it is Melissa Officinalis (Latin name/ official botanical call name) or melissa/ bee balm. It is very much liked in fruit salad or topping fresh strawberry salad (used as you would use mint leaves) or fresh in herbal tea. Did you try rubbing the leaves? They should smell a kind of fresh lemon zest scent but softer and more flowery. This smell would be very telling. It is very pleasant to chew. Some years ago I had more time and used to pick some when I would have guests, melt some chocolate and brush chocolate on the back of the leaf, put aside for cooling and delicately remove the leaf when ready, then serve for dessert as a cake or fruit salad decoration or to go with an after-dinner coffee. You can also half dip the leaf in chocolate, cool and serve, it makes it out as a kind of after-dinner mint. (The taste is beyond lemon and into slightly minted). It has multiple uses in herbal medicine and is really a nice thing to have in a garden. It needs care: doesn't like winter/frost nor hot, dry summers (it will need watering similar to basil and will prefer half-shade). It also needs air around it (=i.e. don't plant too close around it) else it gets fungal diseases and it is slow and somehow difficult to grow from seeds but will succeed better when taking top branches and planting in sandy-light earth mix. You can google it using the Latin name Melissa Officinalis, you'll get plenty of botanical descriptions and type of blooms (like for mint, there are several varieties and cultivars).
Carole
on May 08, 2015
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My guess it is a balloon flower, you will notice that it will grow what looks like tiny air balloons and they will get bigger and colour and them boom, pop open and they are really pretty. I have some in my garden, I think they are awesome
Marion Dupuis-Lucas
on May 08, 2015
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Nope not a balloon flower and not a bee balm either.
Nancy France
on May 08, 2015
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It does look like salvia, I have some in a sunny bed. Does it stink/smell bad?
Lacy
on May 09, 2015
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