What is this bush/tree/plant?

[gentlegreen]

knotweed stems have "knees" and are hollow

 

[1927]

knotweed stems have "knees" and are hollow

I’m a knotweed specialist, but I don’t know what things are if they’re not knotweed!

 

[two sheds]

I’m a knotweed specialist, but I don’t know what things are if they’re not knotweed!

the only distinction you need if you're looking for knotweed

 

[two sheds]

I've actually been successful so far in treating knotweed
(a) get them before they start spreading
(b) cut off stem, soak small piece of paper handkerchief with nasty Monsanto roundup
(c) tie that to exposed stem with a loop of wire

 

[Artaxerxes]

Lovely deep purple

 

[two sheds]

Mallow isn't it? I do love mallows. I've put several in without success since I've been here but the latest two seem happy with loads of buds, looking forward to them flowering

 

[gentlegreen]

I knew wild chicory had blue flowers, but this is s cultivated lettuce left over from a salad mix...

 

[Clair De Lune]

Not the plant...but wtf is this bug that's eating my plant?
Im wondering...and yes I admit I'm being lazy n not looking it up (but ya know someone might just know n get to feel intelligent ) if it's part of a lady birds life cycle...fuck knows TBF. But it chomps dead loud. I could hear it a few feet away

 

[Artaxerxes]

Cardinal beetle, common black head

 

[Clair De Lune]

Cardinal beetle, common black head

Thanks

 

[Leafster]

Any idea what this is?

 

[gentlegreen]

phygelius ?

also known as "Cape Fuchsia"

 

[Callie]

Not the plant...but wtf is this bug that's eating my plant? View attachment 276569
Im wondering...and yes I admit I'm being lazy n not looking it up (but ya know someone might just know n get to feel intelligent ) if it's part of a lady birds life cycle...fuck knows TBF. But it chomps dead loud. I could hear it a few feet away

 

[Callie]

lily beetle

Lily beetle

Lilies (<em>Lilium</em>), giant lilies (<em>Cardiocrinum</em>) and fritillaries (<em>Fritillaria</em>) can be defoliated by lily beetle.

www.rhs.org.uk

 

[gentlegreen]

I didn't want to say in case I was wrong ... if it IS a lily beetle. it's the bird-poo -resembling larvae that do the real damage ..

 

[Callie]

I didn't want to say in case I was wrong ... if it IS a lily beetle. it's the bird-poo -resembling larvae that do the real damage ..

look at the edges of the petals. The beetles are quite pretty, just not compatible if you like lillies

 

[Leafster]

phygelius ?

also known as "Cape Fuchsia"

Thanks! My mum used to grow fuchsia tryphylla hybrids so I can see how the common name of Cape Fuchsia might have arisen.

In fact, it's because of the tryphylla hybrids I've started to notice the phygelius in nearby gardens. Recently, in a weak moment at the garden centre I bought one - fuchsia tryphylla "thalia". I remember my parents pampering their tryphyllas making sure they spent the colder months in a heated greenhouse and wondered whether, with the milder winters we're having, they could cope outside all year round. I don't have a proper greenhouse let alone a heated one so I'm wondering what to do with my purchase.

I started spotting plants that looked like these fuchsias in gardens on my walks. They all looked well established in the ground and quite large but this was the first one near enough to the road to have a closer look.

 

[Dystopiary]

look at the edges of the petals. The beetles are quite pretty, just not compatible if you like lillies

I didn't want to say in case I was wrong ... if it IS a lily beetle. it's the bird-poo -resembling larvae that do the real damage ..

I did wonder myself but then thought someone else'd know better. I'm no expert!

 

[gentlegreen]

. Recently, in a weak moment at the garden centre I bought one - fuchsia tryphylla "thalia". I remember my parents pampering their tryphyllas making sure they spent the colder months in a heated greenhouse and wondered whether, with the milder winters we're having, they could cope outside all year round. I don't have a proper greenhouse let alone a heated one so I'm wondering what to do with my purchase.

"Thalia" was the only fuchsia I used to grow - I don't remember ever keeping one over winter - I had a convenient garden centre that always had them - even in my unheated greenhouse ...
I grow the trailer "voodoo" these days and it's only through massive carelessness that I all but lose them most years - but then I live in Bristol where we don't often get proper winters ...unlike this last one that destroyed all my pelargoniums

 

[Leafster]

"Thalia" was the only fuchsia I used to grow - I don't remember ever keeping one over winter - I had a convenient garden centre that always had them - even in my unheated greenhouse ...
I grow the trailer "voodoo" these days and it's only through massive carelessness that I all but lose them most years - but then I live in Bristol where we don't often get proper winters ...unlike this last one that destroyed all my pelargoniums

I've got some so-called "half-hardy" fuchsias which do survive the winters outside here on the North Downs. I have grown the upright version of voodoo outside and it has survived a few winters. I think the most tender one I've grown up until now is checkerboard. The RHS reckons it's an H3 on their hardiness scale and that's OK outside but thalia is an H1C so I don't fancy its chances over winter.

 

[Clair De Lune]

I didn't want to say in case I was wrong ... if it IS a lily beetle. it's the bird-poo -resembling larvae that do the real damage ..

Ah yes there was some of that!

 

[gentlegreen]

I caught some adults canoodling on my sorry-looking lilies earlier and sent the remaining larvae on their way too ...

 

[Dystopiary]

Ah yes there was some of that!

It hammers fritillaries too.

 

[campanula]

You can direct a furious hose on the lily beetle larvae - they will fall off and cannot get back onto the leaves. I do this after many summers spent fruitlessly cutting the shitey leaves off. Lily beetles and vine weevil larvae are the only pests I actually kill.
Worth removing the beetles as they will overwinter in the soil and restart the cycle next year.

 

[Clair De Lune]

You can direct a furious hose on the lily beetle larvae - they will fall off and cannot get back onto the leaves. I do this after many summers spent fruitlessly cutting the shitey leaves off. Lily beetles and vine weevil larvae are the only pests I actually kill.
Worth removing the beetles as they will overwinter in the soil and restart the cycle next year.

Thanks. I have been picking them off but not killing them.

 

[The39thStep]

Thanks. I have been picking them off but not killing them.

do they come back ?

 

[gentlegreen]

I wonder if they could be persuaded to eat a different plant

 

[Clair De Lune]

do they come back ?

They do I think, but wearing a different coat or hat so it's hard to know for sure.

 

[The39thStep]

They do I think, but wearing a different coat or hat so it's hard to know for sure.

Very good

 

[The39thStep]

One of my neighbours next to a house I had in the UK was a bit of an alternative lifestyle type. Used to do head massage and often had bohemian types round. He used to pick the snails off his broccoli and dump them in the local park , which I thought was anti social. tbh . Ocasionally I used to pick off snails from plants in my garden and throw them over his fence which my missus said was juvenile.