Can someone help me identify this plant? I purchased it at a plant sale in Maine last fall. It was labeled 'toadflax'. I researched toadflax and found there is a blue type, as well as the 'butter and eggs' type. This is blue so perhaps it is a toadflax? If so, does anyone grow it and can you tell me something about it?
Here is a close up of the foliage. It is finely cut. The plant is 2-3 feet tall and is growing in part shade. It forms a clump 2 feet around of loose stems. It is a real stunner and has been blooming about a month now. It is a herbaceous perennial.Thanks for any help in advance!
in the garden....
Hello! I am back home now. I'll be around as soon as I am awake after a long night of driving!
Don't forget about Andrea Wulf's talk tomorrow at the Nashville Public Library. Hope to see you there once we are unpacked and the laundry is all done:)
Thanks Joy and Anonymous (In Sweden) for the help with identifying this sweet little purple plant! It is indeed Linaria purpurea, aka Toadflax.
Thanks Joy and Anonymous (In Sweden) for the help with identifying this sweet little purple plant! It is indeed Linaria purpurea, aka Toadflax.
I couldn't tell you, but they sure are pretty.
ReplyDeleteHi Tina, toadflax is one of those things on a very long list of "I'd like one of those." I'm told it's quite hardy and easy to care for. :) And cute!
ReplyDeleteTina girl ! ... Yes ! it is Toadflax .. I have one in a very soft pinkish to almost blue colour .. sounds odd but that is the hue variation at times .. it is a gorgeous plant and if I can find one of my pictures of it I will post it for you !
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to find at times so you are really lucky and you will love it ! : )
Hi Dawn, I am glad Joy was able to ID it. I clicked on the photo to study it better and noticed the miniature snapdragon like flowers putting it into that family. The botanical name is Linum, if you want to do the google search and see if you can get the full latin name. It is certainly a beauty. I have never seen a blue one.
ReplyDeleteFrances
Hi Tina, I checked out Toadflax images, it is hard to find a purple one. I am not 100% sure, but if someone else knows, run with it.
ReplyDeleteWelcome back Tina! I'm with Joy, looks like toadflax. I want to think Racquel has one..maybe she can confirm.
ReplyDeleteGlad you are home. Get some rest and have a great weekend. I'm off to another garden tour tomorrow..post about it soon. :)
I've never heard of toadflax before! Always fun to learn about new plants..it's cute and I'm sure it will attract butterflies..does it have fragrance? Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteLynn
Hello again Tina !
ReplyDeleteI posted pictures of my Toad Flax .. they are a bit old but the foliage and flowers will confirm the ID .. yours will be a beauty girl !!
Tina --
ReplyDeleteIt sure is pretty! Glad Joy could ID it for you.
We were concerned about your long drive home last night. So happy to hear that you're there safe and sound. We thoroughly enjoyed the visit yesterday -- my hubby had a great time chatting with your hubby and son, too.
Take care,
Cameron
It looks very pretty and blooming a month is a good thing. Unlike some of our pretty peonies that bloomed 2 minutes and the rhodies too. I like flowers that bloom a month and 2 months is even better!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you got an ID. At first I thought it looked a little like a veronica commonly called Culvers root.
ReplyDeleteMarnie
Good morning all! Still have some unpacking to do but needed to check in this morning. Hubby says to get the coffee on first, but I guess he can do that:)
ReplyDeleteDawn, Yes! And it came from Maine too.
Monica, I had to travel all the way to Maine to get it. Too funny huh?
Joy, Thanks! Now I have to ask, is it going to overrun my garden? I've read the yellow is a bit invasive, at least in the north but cannot find any info on it down here. The purple/blue-hard to find any info! I will come over soon and check out your blog and everyone's that I missed!
Frances, I've not seen this anywhere and had no idea when I bought it what it would look like. Starting to go by now but I've enjoyed it and so far it is doing well. I checked out your people posts on the spring fling and have enjoyed them very much! You guys-all of you look like you had so much fun! I need to catch up here soon. Breakfast first and unloading though.
Janet, Thanks! I hope it does not take over though:) Might have to send some to my blogging friends. Just kidding.
Linda, You have the best time! I had two of the best tours yesterday and my head is still thinking of those gardens! I will post on them soon, and I'm looking forward to yours too. Is your mother going too?
Lynn, Ha! I should've smelled it-really! I am going out there to do so this morning. I've not seen too many butterflies around it though. Hmmmmm.
Cameron, Yes, long drive. Rog did a great job though. I slept off and on. The best thing for me when he drives:) It rained most of the way but the plants loved it. Now we are home and it is cool! Unheard of for June in Tennessee! Skeeter-can you believe it? No A/C yet. We had the bestest time yesterday! It was SO worth it to travel over there to see you guys. And Rog was happy he went to the car place as he has a better idea of what he needs now. Thanks so much for hosting us!
Linda, I hope you are feeling better!! Yes, a long month of bloom indeed. You are so right about those peonies and rhodies. 2 minutes is about right!
Better go unpack and eat breakfast. I'll be around later!
Hi Marnie, That is a pretty plant! I like that Culver's root very much. The leaves on this one are much narrower than on the Culver's root but the two are very very similar in bloom. Too cool!
ReplyDeleteTina,
ReplyDeleteIt does not look like the toad flax that is very common in the southeastern US, but it is from Maine. Toadflax BTW is a host plant for Common Buckeye butterflies so if you see caterpillars you'll know what they are,
Hi Tina, glad to know you're back! Those blooms are really pretty!
ReplyDeleteAren't garden bloggers the best?! I saw that Joy had identified this and even posted an image before I had a chance to read your post. I'd love to grow this, too, if it likes shade. I hope you'll let us know, though, if it does turn out to be invasive. I've already got enough lamium threatening to take over the shade garden:)
ReplyDeleteI like everything blue and purple. Theses plants provide vertical effect and their fine foliage let see through and see other plants. Nice. Thank you Tina!
ReplyDeletelooks like my Lavendel
ReplyDeleteWelcome back, Tina. Glad you & family are home safe.
ReplyDeleteThis plant looks familiar but I don't know anything about it.
Welcome Back Tina! Cannot believe you all drove through the night! I dont like night driving as there is nothing to view plus the thought of a deer running out in front of the car scares the dickens out of me...
ReplyDeleteAm glad you got to Camerons garden. Can't wait to hear about it...
Toad flax, I like the name of it as toads are welcome in my garden!
Raining again here today so a good day to clean house! Humid too so the AC is still on here. I noticed on my weather station that you are in the 70's today! Wow, that is nice but my grass likes the hot stuff as are the Canna and Black-eyed Susan. Can you believe they are now open? Crepe Myrtles are opening also! A bit early but I am not complaining as they are so pretty...
Hi Welcome home! There is also a tour of the hewett's garden on Saturday...they own a fab garden center outside of Brentwood.
ReplyDeleteThe toad flax that was given to me has very fine leaves with yellow flowers. gail
Not sure what it is but it does look like a plant that grows pretty much wild in Maine but mostly in large clumps near or in swamp areas. I have no idea what the name of what I am thinking of is and Nana always wanted to know also. When I first looked I thought it was lavendar
ReplyDeleteForgot but am glad you got home safe and sound and had a good time.
ReplyDeleteOh darn I am just not with it this morning....when I said lavendar I meant Heather.
ReplyDeleteThe Toadflax is lovely -- I really like that flower form.
ReplyDeleteIt looks just like the toadflax that is just beginning to bloom in my garden now. I was just taking pictures of it last night. MIne was only labeled as toadflax too. It has begun to reseed around and making it even better looking the bigger the area it covers. If I deadhead mine it will bloom for quite awhile.
ReplyDeleteHallo girls!
ReplyDeleteWas just passing by and saw the foto - Linnarea purpurea in latin - you can find it in white, blue or pink.
Have a nice day - best whishes from Sweden/Inger
Sorry Linda & Tina, but I don't have this plant. Glad you were able to get an id on it. Pretty blooms. :)
ReplyDeleteWell, I read about it on Joy's post first...that's how I ended up coming here! I am going to Maine the end of July (to my husband's family's cottage on the lake)...I will have to look for this to see if I can take any home with me! In fact, I've never looked for plants during our Maine visits! That is going to change this year!! Jan
ReplyDeleteIt's a cute little plant. I'll have to keep an eye out for it, as it looks like a good shade garden candidate. Thanks for the introduction and thanks Joy for IDing it.
ReplyDeleteHi...I am Debbie from Blueberryplains....I follow Dawn...you might know me from her? I just found a site about this flower. It is http://www.floralimages.co.uk/plinarpurpu.htm ....if you copy this site it may help you? It would appear it is from the Figwort family. I know I have seen these in Maine somewhere! Good luck with it....very pretty!
ReplyDeleteWell I see you have identified the plant. I like its looks to be sure.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping at my new flower blog. I am happy that you liked it.
Our Flower Pot
Welcome back to home sweet home,Tina.
ReplyDeleteMngarden/donna
Welcome home, Tina!
ReplyDeleteThat sure is a pretty plant. It looks so dainty.
Linaria maroccana is called toadflax here - not sure if it's the same but they look almost identical except for the blooms. They don't do well in hot weather, so I couldn't grow them.
ReplyDeleteI like those purplish blooms!
I agree it's toadflax Tina. Beautiful, isn't it? I started it from seed years ago and as I remember it germinated easily. If you want more, maybe you could collect the seeds? I'm glad you're back ~ we missed you!
ReplyDeleteI think this may be the variety 'Canon Went'; JL Hudson has seeds. They did pretty well in semi-shade for me. I've also grown a white Linaria purpurea but can't remember its cultivar name. The common toadflax (butter and eggs), which I love, is L. vulgaris. Now for the solving of this mystery: which toads and why did they want flax?
ReplyDeleteThat's funny, I knew it was called Linaria but not Toadflax. Usually it's the opposite, I might know the common name but not the botanical! I've always wanted it for its height and seemingly carefree habit. I think it does tend to get a little weedy in some climates, though. I already have a lot of those type of plants! Isn't it great how you can just launch a question out there in the blogosphere and get such great answers?!
ReplyDeleteI can't leave well alone it sure looks a lot like an angelonia to me. check this link out http://courses.missouristate.edu/clydettealsup/horticulture/AlsupVarietyTrial/2006/Angelonia_Serena_Purple.htm
ReplyDelete