I have the strangest plant in my garden, it was here when I moved here in June of 2002. The plant was cut down sometime last fall, but these little fuzzy buds appeared in March 2003. I took pictures in March, April, May and then again today. Buds that started out less than an inch long have grown into a plant that towers over my two story house in 7 months! Can someone please tell me what the name of this plant is? It's hard to tell from recent pictures, but the plant appears to be growing flower buds at the top. The stalk is hollow, rather like bamboo. But, the stalk and leaves are sticky and leave a residue on my hands. The leaves are over 3 feet wide now.
posted
Hello there jc2weho, Wow, that's a heck of a name you got there.
And that's a heck of a bean stalk you got there.
My first thought would be start talking to your neighbors. Neighbors know alot!!!! Whether you want them to or not sometimes.
But How long, between cutting and that growing to that length??? What is in the pictures is a summers growth???????? Would you use the word, fast growing???? I'll take a peek and you wait a bit for either Papito or Bill, they'd be a little bit closer to your area....
I have a small idea of a fast grower, but for the life of me, I can't remeber as of this typing.... I'll post later tonight if I find it again!
Weezie
* * * * Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it. - Bible - Hebrews 13:2
posted
Weezie, you are simply grand!!!!!!! This is exactly our plant and soon it looks like it is going to flower. When it does I will put a last post here for where to go to see them.
Thank you for your horticultural prowess.
To eplain my "display" name, my initials are JC, I used to live in West Hollywood, CA, ergo the "weho", the 2 is for you to guess.
jc2weho
* * * * Plants: 409 | From: Los Angeles - Hollywood Hills | Registered: Oct 2003
| Seeded: 63.205.40.217
posted
Well, JC, I just happened to know about that tree because I had investigated it for the wood. As I understand it, it's a fast growing, really good wood tree, and when you chop it down, it still regrows from the stump, again and again. They cut the trees every three years for harvest. I had looked into it only for my father~in~law because he works with wood.....
But I sure am glad to help. I never realized it flowered so pretty, but I would love to see a picture of it, when it does bloom....
Do you have a garden????? Plants or Veggies?
Well, we hope you stick around and peak in on us from time to time and ask questions. We love a good Mystery!!! And we always enjoy new voices here at the The Garden Helpers Forum. We have The Banter Hall just for chit~chatting too.
Glad to have helped!!! Weezie
* * * * Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it. - Bible - Hebrews 13:2
posted
Had to leave to go grocery shopping and was wanting to get back home so bad just to find out if the mystery was solved. If it wasn't I was going to dive in and surf the net! You know me I can't pass up a good mystery!
Great Job Weezie
I can't believe how fast they grow..... and the size of that leaf is outrageous .
I have a ? for you...in photo 6 are those 2 grave markers for the people who died trying to cut it down? LOL J/K Catlover
* * * * Plants: 7129 | From: California | Registered: Mar 2003
| Seeded: 68.66.244.5
quote:I have a ? for you...in photo 6 are those 2 grave markers for the people who died trying to cut it down? LOL J/K Catlover
That's funny Karen, you can't really cut those things down!! It just keeps coming back and back! I have read they are considered an invasive plant outside it's natural growing area. But the wood is supposed to be awesome.
Weezie
* * * * Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it. - Bible - Hebrews 13:2
Thanks for all the info about the Paulownia. I would never have guessed that anyone would have solved my mystery so fast! My dad was a woodworker and would have loved the grain this wood seems to have. I saw the pictures from the web link you sent me of oriental stinged instruments made from this wood - Lovely! I will certainly post pictures for you to see when this giant blooms.
For Cat Lover,
You are just tooooooo funny. I looked at pic #6 and yes, it does look like gravestones in front of the plant. In reality, they are just the slats from our garden gate.
For both of you,
Here is the link to webshots where I have just made a new album of photos from our succulent and cactus garden. The usable space we have is only 9' x 39', but it is packed with glorious plants and loads of garden whimsey. Click on the album called Long and Narrow Garden. Please enjoy!
posted
OMGosh that is great! Hey, I think your the one with a sense of humor. I saw the "frog welcome" and "Flacid"! You are tooo much. That garden looks like so much fun. There are soo many ideas I am getting. Loved the marble idea instead of rocks and oohhhh the fountain. I am going to go through those pix several times to swipe some of your ideas....(if you don't mind?) Yes I will definitely tell everybody where I got the ideas from. I am going gaw gaw (sp) over the whole thing. Did you do all that by yourself? Can you tell I am in 7th heaven right now! What a great way to start out for work! You have given me so many ideas and the ideas I have gotten lately from this site. Told Bill, our head guru master, that I am going to have to move and get more property. Dreamin Catlover
* * * * Plants: 7129 | From: California | Registered: Mar 2003
| Seeded: 68.66.244.5
posted
JC....... You have some beautiful plants! I want a Paulownia (for the tree, AND the wood!)
Weezie....... Don't get a swoolen head just because you hit two for two today! (Including shaming me!)
Karen..... I knew you would zero right in on those pictures. You're "sickness" is getting worse by the day! (and its only just begun) You poor thing...... Don't worry, we'll be here to support you through your withdrawls when you can't find the cacti you HAVE to have!
* * * * Plants: 11227 | From: Cedar Hill Washington | Registered: Aug 2002
| Seeded: 209.179.168.35
posted
I have butterflys that host on mine.hope that breed of butterfly doubles next yr so less leaves to rake.they weren.t bad from that tree considering my clean up crew the flutterbys..LOL
* * * * I will age ungracefully until I become an old woman in a small garden..doing whatever the Hell I want!
posted
I won't name any names.... but the hillbilly who lives on a mountain top in Washington is being a little and giving me names to varities I just have to have(which consist of about 60 other varieties each)!!!!! and then there are all the different ferns. OMGosh!!!!!!!!
YEA I KNOW YOUR KIND OF HELP!!!!!!!!!!!! Next step of yours would be to send a copy of mapquest with exact directions to the nearest cactus/succulent nursery that has that exact variety! ( AND MORE )
"When are you sending those directions??????"
* * * * Plants: 7129 | From: California | Registered: Mar 2003
| Seeded: 68.66.244.5
posted
I feel so terrible about this Karen...... almost like some sort of drug dealer....
Oh..... Ya know what you need to have growing next to your Donkey Tails? A Ghost Plant!!!! Graptopetalum paraguayense..... gotta have one! 3" silver grey rosettes on hanging stems...... turns an awesome, irradecent pink in the sun, and even better under a grow light...
NO!! Forget that I mentioned this plant..... you DON'T WANT ONE!
* * * * Plants: 11227 | From: Cedar Hill Washington | Registered: Aug 2002
| Seeded: 209.179.168.35
posted
No, who ever potted it up didn't understand the law of gravity, It was top heavy in a little lite pot!! And it actually was soooooooooo dry it just fell out of the pot because there was no weight to the soil to hold it in there.
I was actually a very good drinker!! No problems there
Weezie
* * * * Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it. - Bible - Hebrews 13:2
posted
jc2weho, Those are great pictures! I love the whimsy you've added. I have a little whimsy here and there in my garden, would like more but my hubby just doesn't get it. I have the cutest statue of a laughing frog, if I ever own a ranch its going to be called The Laughing Frog just because it makes me smile everytime I see him.
* * * * Women and cats will do as they please. Men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. Plants: 766 | From: The real OC in sunny So. Cal. | Registered: Aug 2003
| Seeded: 216.114.206.2
posted
Hi Everyone who replied to this original post!!!
I must tell you all that I have never had so much fun sitting here and reading all of your posts. I feel I have to answer each of you in turn, it's only fair.
First to Catlover, Yes, I do have a little "wicked" sense of humor, I am a Saggitarius! I have a feeling that you are too much fun also. This garden adventure has been one of the best in my life. No, it was not done all alone. My partner JG is the one who touches almost all of our plants, I am the buyer, the design critic and the purveyor of garden whimsey. Please take all the ideas from our pics that you like. Regarding the marbles, we have color coordinated marbles for many of our plants. Our "pseudo" 99 Cent Store (on Lankersheim in the SF Valley) helped to perpetuate our grand "Movie Star" plant idea. Love that you are in 7th heaven. After one shopping that took us seven trips up our long stairs, we had marbles to match or accent every color plant we have. I promise to post more pics soon to assist with your "addiction" and potential property expansion.
Bill,
Thank you so very much for you compliments on our plants. If you will email your address in the mountains of WA, I promise that when we cut the Paulownia I will send it to you for the wood. Just tell me how long each piece should be. Please assure Catlover that if she can't find the cactus she just has to have, we will find it for her, or pluck a baby from our garden and send it to her.
Njoynit,
Do you have a Paulownia that hosts those butterflies or is it another plant from our garden. <Burning question!> By the way, we are both old women in a small garden. Take form us, it truly is a slice of Heaven!
Catlove,
We have the locations of all the cactus/succulent nurseries in So. Cal. Plus, we are members of the Huntington Library and Gardens in San Marino. Want to come with us to their members only plant sales next May????????
Via Bill, but really for Catlover,
We have graptopetalum paraguayense, want some cuttings???????
Weezie,
All cactus that fall are prickley on the hands!!! Euphorbias are especially bad, the spines can make your skin swell if you even as so much brush against them.
Catlover,
What ugly plant???????????
gardengal,
Frogs are our favorite garden whimsey, who could not ever laugh at a frog
Thank you, one and all, for this wonderful beginning online adventure in the Garden Helper.
A Big MWAH! to all of you!
* * * * Plants: 409 | From: Los Angeles - Hollywood Hills | Registered: Oct 2003
| Seeded: 67.123.40.137
posted
What a beautiful tree...or is it a plant? Whatever it is it is gorgeous! I looked through all of your photos and they are wonderful. I loved all of the bird photos, and your cacti & succulents are so beautiful. Thanks so much for sharing
posted
It's a tree, I think, Chrissy...It's such a monster.. I love it. It's already growing new leaves and will get even taller...It's already 30+ ft....YOW!
Thanks for the nice words about our much-loved garden.
* * * * Plants: 1985 | From: Ugh...Van Nuys, CA | Registered: Nov 2003
| Seeded: 205.188.116.71
login | 
| 
| 
![[dunno]](graemlins/dunno.gif)
![[kitty]](graemlins/kitty.gif)
Catlover 
![[wayey]](graemlins/wavey.gif)
![[gabby]](graemlins/gabby.gif)
![[thumb]](graemlins/thumb.gif)
![[clappy]](graemlins/clappy.gif)
![[shocked]](graemlins/shock.gif)
.![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
J/K
![[grin]](graemlins/grinnnn.gif)
![[devil]](graemlins/devil.gif)
and giving me names to varities I just have to have(which consist of about 60 other varieties each)!!!!! and then there are all the different ferns. ![[tongue]](graemlins/tongue.gif)
OMGosh!!!!!!!!![[kissies]](graemlins/kissies.gif)
![[Embarrassed]](redface.gif)
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
BAD, ![[scaredy]](graemlins/scaredy.gif)
![[muggs]](graemlins/mugggggs.gif)
![[flower]](graemlins/flower.gif)
![[perplexed]](graemlins/confused.gif)
By the way, we are both old women in a small garden. Take form us, it truly is a slice of Heaven!
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this garden