Thanks for continuing to try to help me solve this mystery! Konrad, the last picture is indeed a Crandall black currant, popping up not far from its parent. About 3 years ago I had two of these plants planted at the base of the low stone wall you can barely make out in the first (top of this thread) picture. I took them out and moved them to a different place in my yard where they would have more space. So it's possible that a little piece of root left behind grew up through the dirt (our neighborhood is very hilly - both north-south and east-west, so ground elevations change constantly in all directions) ... except that these volunteers look so different from both the gooseberries that they're next to, as well as the Crandall. The biggest difference is the size and appearance of the leaves. Flora, I would LOVE to let these volunteers keep growing (which is why I didn't pull the two biggest ones last year when I first spotted them), but I'm worried about crowding the gooseberries. They (the volunteers) didn't flower at all last year (no surprise, given their age). If they are, in fact, red currants, that's a mystery too because nobody around us grows any type of currants (except for my Crandalls). I guess it's very possible that birds came to eat the gooseberries and in the process deposited seeds while they were busy eating (nature's input and output!). But again, seeds of what??? The Pacific Northwest is prime berry country, (and I do have raspberries and blackberries in a different part of the yard). But these mystery plants look like nothing else in my yard.

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Hi, I have been studying so many websites looking for info on these seeds... and just happened across this discussion! I have a Zebrina Mallow... as well as another kind I cant think of the name of, and I just discovered both of their stalks just about eaten in half. Needless to say, I have either a varmint out there or a caterpillar with very big teeth. The only reason I say caterpillar is the other day I found one munching on the leaves... one with a very hearty appetite! Anyway, I have removed some dried seedpods and would like to propogate these plants, but since I am new at this... have no idea what I'm doing? Can anyone help? Do I save these seeds in a baggie till spring? Do I plant them now? A special way or just throw them on the ground under the mother plant? Help?? I appreciate any info. Thanks!!

Definately a big-ol weedzilla of some sort, not a tomato like the others have mentioned. Unwanted seeds are very talanted at getting into unattended pots. For example- we have maple trees around our deck and every spring I have to remove a miniature forest from all of my pots.