Questions tagged [identification]

Use this tag for questions that ask "what is this thing?" Pictures, geographic location, and descriptive titles are important. Ask only one identification request per question. When you get an answer, consider adding a further tag (for the flower, tree, beetle etc. that has been identified) so your question is cataloged correctly. If the question is about determining the cause of a plant problem (e.g. disease), the diagnosis tag is more appropriate.

When asking an identification question:

  • Make a good title:

    • Include the type of thing (weed, bug, plant, etc.) that you want to identify.
    • Include distinctive features. ("Red fuzzy vines".)
    • Include where it was found -- both where in the world, and where in a "micro" sense ("eating the lower leaves of my plant", "under a rock", "fungus growing on my tree trunk", etc).

    • Ask only one plant identification request per question. If you'd like more than one plant identified, feel free to ask additional questions.

  • Include at least one photo.

  • Repeat the descriptive features in your question.
  • Include how it relates to gardening.

When you get a satisfactory answer, consider adding a further tag so that your question is cataloged with other similar questions. If an answer makes the question relevant to another category (e.g. a vine later identified as Morning Glory), then it should be tagged as such.

3188 questions
10
votes
1 answer

What is this hardy plant with purple flowers?

This plant, originating from a flower seed mix, is the only survivor of the central European winter on my balcony. The flowers have a mild scent of roses Other plants in the package that I could identify are cornflower (Centaurea cyanus) and bell…
Glo
  • 101
  • 2
10
votes
2 answers

What are these curly mushroom-like growths in my mulch?

In one area of the garden in the house I bought couple of months back, we have mulch and recently we are seeing the following. Not sure if this is a mushroom or not. My current guess is that the mulch is very old and needs to be replaced. But I…
yasouser
  • 1,509
  • 2
  • 12
  • 20
10
votes
1 answer

What is the name of this plant with 5-petaled pink flowers?

What is the name of this plant? The image was from a China tour website, although it doesn't seem to be on that page anymore. I am not sure if it is also popular in America.
Tim
  • 203
  • 1
  • 2
  • 7
10
votes
1 answer

What are the mini-white moths on my tomato plant?

I have some tomato plants indoors. Recently a number of very small (1 mm or so) moths dwell on the leaves. What are these? Are they harmful? What can I do about them?
neydroydrec
  • 1,588
  • 3
  • 15
  • 21
10
votes
1 answer

What is this plant found in the UK with green and white leaves with purple flowers?

Any ideas what this plant is and how to control it?
Dan
  • 4,351
  • 8
  • 33
  • 50
10
votes
3 answers

What is this tall plant with large leaves and long bunches of soft pink flowers?

Please can you help me identify this plant. The flowers are soft to touch.
Cathie Decker
  • 101
  • 1
  • 3
9
votes
2 answers

What is this wetland plant with small white flowers in a spiral around the stalk?

This is a plant we found for the first time today. We live near an area that contains a vernal pool and frequently floods but never drains out. In 10 years, I've never seen this plant before. Can anyone help identify it?
Troy
  • 91
  • 1
9
votes
2 answers

What is this succulent weed?

This guy has been growing like gang busters in a newly planted bed of ground covering sedums. It's actually kind of a nice ground cover but based on its rate of spread and the fact that I didn't plant it I'm thinking of yanking it all up. It has…
dkackman
  • 403
  • 1
  • 4
  • 12
9
votes
2 answers

Is this plant Giant Hogweed?

In getting our spring landscaping underway, we've run into a bush that a family member is sure that this plant (pictured) is Giant Hogweed. Click photo for full size British Columbia considers this plant to be toxic (if it is indeed that species)…
tbonz
  • 93
  • 5
9
votes
1 answer

What are these insects on my pepper plants?

They seem to have come out of nowhere in the past week.
brandon
  • 513
  • 2
  • 7
9
votes
2 answers

Can any one help identify this plant/small tree?

I bought this plant/small tree from a very small nursery specializing in Succulent and Cactus. I absolutely love it, but have no idea what it is. The leaves almost look like a squash or melon (in fact, that's all that came up when I tried using a…
C.Camp
  • 91
  • 1
9
votes
1 answer

What are these seeds in papery pink casing?

I found these seeds all over my yard which I think were dropped by some nesting starlings. Each seed has a dry, papery pink casing. The attached photos show the seed inside the casing on the left, with the peeled seed on the right. First photo shows…
bee.catt
  • 535
  • 3
  • 7
9
votes
2 answers

Identification of this branched bush with tiny blue flowers

I would like to prune this bush in my garden. It wasn't me who planted it, which is why I don't know what it is and before doing any mistakes I'm asking here for help. With this one I'm especially unsure because it has flowered right into December…
Patrick B.
  • 4,426
  • 6
  • 39
  • 63
9
votes
1 answer

Is this a desirable plant or a weed?

Found these growing in our flower bed of the home we recently purchased. I didn't really like how they looked, so I started ripping them out. Afterwards, I noticed some in other strategic places and thought maybe I had made a mistake. Learned…
mikeazo
  • 349
  • 1
  • 2
  • 6
9
votes
1 answer

Identification needed on this plant with reddish stems

I am needing an identification on this gem growing in Utah. I usually pull them up when they are little so I've never seen it grow this big. I appreciate your help!
T Emmons
  • 91
  • 2