Wild bush with tall purple spikes and small flowers. Michigan

carol23_gw

13 years ago

It may be the invasive Purple Loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria.

Iris GW

13 years ago

It would be good to see the leaves, and a close up of the flowers. Probably not a bush, but just a big perennial.

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Comments (35)

First let me say I love your house. My dream is to someday own a little bungalow!! I almost bought one once but it needed more work that I was willing to do at the time. I know I am late to the party, and I am no landscape expert, but I'm going to chime in my .02 anyway. One of the biggest problems I think you have, in more ways than one, are those huge everygreen shrubs against the foundation. They will dwarf anything else you are doing and it will all look kind of washed out. It seems to me your vision is for a wonderful little perrenial flower garden in front of your house, and in the meantime you have behemouth shrubs to deal with. I would seriously consider taking them out and plant something more open, airy and smaller. There are excellent selections of small, open evergreens at high quality nurseries now days, many of them bred to grow small because your situation is pretty typical of what modern home owners are looking for. At the very least, I would take out the big shrub next to the steps. I had a similar shrub next to the porch stairs in a house I lived in once, and it was a major pain to maintain. An evergreen such as that will trap moisture (especially melting snow) up by the house and the railing and the stairs, all contributing to their faster decline--rust, corrosion and weathering of concrete. There is nothing ugly about your foundation that you need to particularly hide. Rip out that big shrub, and put in something light and airy and flowery. Or at the very least, extend the smaller shrub border all the way to the steps. But honestly, I'd bite the bullet and tear it all out, then you will have a clean slate to design YOUR garden the way YOU want it, not have to work around those ponderous shrubs that someone long gone planted because they just filled a spot. They have overgrown their welcome, IMHO.

Identify this purple flower?

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Comments (15)

Thanks for your ideas and thanks for indulging me while I reply (I took a long time). I wonder if simply a larger pic would be easier to see the flowers. None of the plants posted (that I saw pics of) look quite right. It's not Mexican petunia (although it looked a lot like it apart from the large stem). Here are some much larger pics. They probably show the leaves at the base and the side of the flower well (there was a large rain, so the plant is not blooming anymore). I do have the feeling that this is not a native plant. One of my neighbors may have planted it. I may ask in the non-native plants forum (if there is one). Here's the link to the image-sharing site: https://imgur.com/a/7YK1D . Awed Here is a link that might be useful: The images

ID for purple flowers

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Comments (19)

Carolyn, If the plant you're seeking is the purple-flowered Mexican Bush Sage, it is a zone 8 plant, so it may not come back for you here in zone 7. However, I have some zone 8 plants that have come back for me for several years, so you just never know. If you like the kinds of plants you saw in Taos, I recommend you visit the High Country Gardens website. Based in Santa Fe, they have garden centers in several NM locations and have a huge mail-order and internet business. They breed and develop many of their own plants and also sell other plants as well. They specialize in plants that can grow in 'challenging' conditions and have an excellent reputation. Many, many, many of their plants are attractive to hummers. Even if you prefer to purchase your plants locally, their website and catalog provide excellent photographs, plant descriptions and cultural information. Dawn Here is a link that might be useful: High Country Gardens Website

Winter Sowing in the MIDDLE zones: 5, 6, and 7 (native seed list)

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cardarlin
Original Author

13 years ago

Could it possibly be a type of verbana/ vervain? I remember the leaves being seraded(SP?).

weedwoman

13 years ago

I'd go with the Purple Loosestrife, too. Verbena flowers are generally much smaller, and the leaves are bigger. (And I think you mean serrated, toothed. Think serrated knife.)

Purple Loosestrife is a pretty flower, but it's become a terrible weed in wetland areas around here (NJ). I think it's a problem in the midwest, too.

WW

cardarlin
Original Author

13 years ago

I just so happen to be at my parents house today with my much better camera (used cell phone for the first picture) I will upload a few better shots later tonight. Please come back and check and see if you can help me identify this plant. I do really love it. It's quite beautiful but if it's invasive I don't want to move it to my yard.

Embothrium

13 years ago

Lythrum would not be my guess from what I have seen of your plant so far.

flora_uk

13 years ago

Does Linaria purpurea grow in your area? The leaves look the wrong colour but might go reddish if they are aging growing in poor soil. But I agree - we need to see the flowers better. (I also don't think it is Lythrum)

Here is a link that might be useful: Linaria purpurea

Wild bush with tall purple spikes and small flowers. Michigan

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Wild bush with tall purple spikes and small flowers. Michigan

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