Does anyone know what this flower is? It's growing in my friends yard, but they don't know either.?

Question

http://www.flickr.com/photos/61191859@N00/540764425/

Answer 1

I think they are Sundrops, Oenothera fruticosa. Another kind of Evening Primrose. I have them in my yard and they return every year and bring their children! If you dig a few from your friends yard, you'll be blessed with bright yellow flowers for free next year.

Answer 2

Well, they are NOT mums or marigolds as someone else suggested. They obviously don't know much about flowers because these are nowhere close to mums or marigolds. (No offense, but c'mon people!)

ANYWAY, they do look very similar to buttercups AND potentillas. I can't see the leaves really well, so it is hard to tell which is which.

One clue could be if it is a "bush", it is more likely potentilla. If it is just a "plant", it would be more likely to be buttercups. If I remember correctly, buttercups also kind of spread a lot, like weeds almost, but very pretty.

One thing you could do, is go to google and click on "images". This will set it to look for pictures instead of documents. Then type in "potentilla" or "buttercups" and there will be a ton of pictures for you. Since you have actually seen the leaves up close, you may be able to match them with the pictures.

Another easy thing to do is to take a piece of it to a nursery and ask them what they think it is. If you do this, PLEASE put it in a sealed bag (you can see through the bag). The reason for this is that plants can carry diseases and bugs (even if you can't see them) and you don't want to infect something there at the nursery (it may be fine, but you never know -- cuz sometimes you can't see what is on it yet, as it hasn't fully developed).

Oh, I just thought of another thing, you could try to take a cutting off of the one at your friend's house and grow it that way. I don't have room to describe how to root things and all that here, but if you want to do that, I am sure there is tons of info. on the net about it.

Anyway, both of these things are really lovely and I hope you find what you are looking for and enjoy them in your yard.

Answer 3

It's not a California Poppy. California Poppy is commonly (but not always) orange and the flower is larger with respect to the leaf. Also, the leaf on the California Poppy is more like the end of carrot leaves than it is like a traditional leaf shape. Hope that makes sense.
Here's a link to a buttercup photo. The leaves don't look right.
http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/artnov06/bj-ThreeButtercups.html

Here's a link to the potentilla golfinger. I think that might be it.

http://www.naturehills.com/new/product/shrubs_productdetails.aspx?proname=Potentilla+-+Goldfinger&utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=goldfinger+potentilla&ysmwa=RKrtxhIRzRjPSpszg077iAyTbFmqQ2dBKU_Y3wRzazQX08lInjT2urBNqdxPBbrS

If all else fails, go to a local nursery with a clipping.

Answer 4

All the plants folks have suggested seem to have flowers with five petals, not four.

What about an Evening Primrose?

Also, this site might help:

http://www.realtimerendering.com/flowers/flowers.html

Answer 5

Buttercups

Answer 6

Oenothera fruticosa --- Sundrops

Answer 7

It's a California poppy! It's everywhere in california; it's the state flower!

Answer 8

I think my grandma used to have them and she called them buttercups...I am looking online for a for sure answer, but even my mom says they look like buttercups.

Answer 9

They look more like Buttercups
like reda said

Answer 10

http://www.usi.edu/science/biology/TwinSwamps/Oenothera_biennis.htm This is the closest I could come to it. Hope it helps.