i have a plant in my garden?

Question

and i've no idea what it is, it came up in a batch of seeds i grew.
what's the best way of finding out what it is

Answer 1

Take a leaf to a nursery and they should be able to ID it for you.

Answer 2

Is there a local allotment Holders Club, or an Horticultural Club near you? Give them a ring and see if someone can identify the plant for you, in situ.
Or, check with a local Garden Centre or Nursery.
Failing that, send a small piece (leaf/flower) to Kew Gardens, Surrey. They have lots of folk to help. Also, if you have a sick plant, they can tell you what is wrong with it, if it's curable and how.
Kew Gardens applies only to UK of course. Not a good idea to send from abroad because if Import Rules.

Answer 3

You could keep growing it and see how it turns out, usually the best way.
Or, like the other people said, take a picture and ask your local garden centre or herbarium.
If you have a basic understanding of biological taxonomy you could work your way through a taxonomic tree. There would definitely be a web-based one around here somewhere. It would at least narrow it down for you.

I've had this before, and curiosity makes me keep growing it - it allows you to at least narrow down what it *could* be. When it is more mature you can see what the flowers look like (if it has any), if it fruits, if it's a herb a shrub or a tree.

The herbarium near me will identify things for you from photos and pressed leaves/flowers. Maybe you could try a nursery, school or local library?

Answer 4

Did you by any chance buy your seeds from Torquay? I had a similar experience to Siona.The seeds produced a magnificent display of flowering colour plus four or five rather shaggy looking green fern-come-tomato type species they grew to about 4 feet with out-spread foliage; they really were rather attractive looking.I did take several photographs of them, which I shall send to the `supplier,`of the seeds.Eventually they had to be up-rooted because they over shadowed the floral display. An elderly neighbour told me that she used to cook stinging nettles from her garden and they tasted like spinach; she suggested that I do the same with my plant because after chewing some of it, she said it was definitely edible. We shall have it for dinner to-night, it will make a change from runner beans, as a vegetarian any new vegetable is welcome.

Answer 5

take a sample leaf to a Nursery or a store like Lowe's or home depo. Anyone there will be able to answer your question. Also, try looking on the Internet. Your best and fastest bet though is to take a sample of this plant to someone that knows their plants. They will know by just looking at it.

Answer 6

wait until its big enough to pick a couple of leaves and either ask at your local nursery or look around your area for a well established garden and ask the owner.Its good to get to know other keen gardeners for advice and plant swapping

Answer 7

You might try looking at the Royal Horticultural Society website if you are in UK or American Horticultural Society site if in US. I have their encyclopedias and find them extremely helpful with good photographs.

GOOD LUCK

Answer 8

go online and find a picture key honestly there are some really good ones, I just came back from a grass and sedge weekend, surprisingly very interesting.

Answer 9

Take a picture of it and go to your local plant nursery, they can probably tell you what it is.

Answer 10

take a picture of it. and go into your local garden centre. they will tell you.