We are going to play a game called Name that Plant. I am not sure what type of plant this is in the above picture. So, I need some help from my readers. Here is the history behind the mysterious plant.
The Story of How the Plant Came to Be
I bought mesculum salad mix seeds from Heirloom Seeds a couple of years ago when I started my garden. I planted the lettuce seeds in June and could not understand why the seedlings did not grow.
For all of you gardeners, stop screaming at me. I know. Who plants mesculum in the beginning of June? It can’t take the heat. (Another lesson learned.)
A couple weeks after I planted my seeds, my “lettuce” popped up from the soil. As I looked at it, I noticed that it had jagged leaves and a purple stem. This had to be my lettuce, I thought with a big grin on my face. All those naysayers were wrong, I figured. Lettuce CAN grow in July heat! (So, I thought.)
How can Mother Earth be wrong. This was lettuce. Odd looking, but lettuce. Who knows with heirloom seeds? Right? See, my garden has grown despite all of my goof ups and I believe Mother Nature is just stronger than us.
Weeks go by, and this lettuce is growing and growing. I kept thinking this is odd. Isn’t it supposed to be kind of bunched up?
There are numerous pictures of mesculum on the web and none of them look like my plant. I sent the picture over to my county extension and asked the master gardener to help me identify the plant. I overheard another one of the gardeners think it was a mesculum (also known as a mesclun) but I was not convinced. If it was, how come I could not find a picture of it on the internet? Plus, it loved the heat, which is not characteristic of a salad green.
Is it a Lettuce, Weed, or an Alien?
Then she questioned me. “Do you think it is a weed?” I then quickly added, “it can’t be. It is too beautiful.” Her reply was so matter of factish, “weeds are plants that people think aren’t beautiful.”
Wow that statement just kind of hit me. Was she channeling Mother Earth, telling me all of her plant creatures are beautiful, weed or flower? Or was it a deeper message that I need to stop taking myself so seriously? Who knows? But it just was a really cool statement that I wanted to pass along.
Okay, back to the plant and away from the philosophical “stuff.” I knew she was wrong and this beauty was some very interesting (and might I add, a very cool plant.) I goggled the words, “purple stem” and weed, then the words, “purple stem.”
I did not get any results that looked like my plant. I finally tried the words, “purple veins.” I found nothing that resembled my plant. I was getting frustrated because I wanted to eat it, but what happens if it was poisonous? I have four children. Would my epitaphs say, ” here lies a gardener who was dumb enough to eat a poisonous plant and left four children behind?”
Finally, I sent this picture to the vegetable specialist at the college cooperative extension. I did not hear back from him that night and for some strange reason, perhaps being guided by divine plant forces, I goggled an unnamed word with purple and found my plant. (I can’t tell you because it is a game). Dumb luck? Who knows? Mother Earth guiding my hand? Perhaps? (Maybe, Mother Google?)
The next day, I did receive an email from the vegetable specialist identifying the plant as mesculum. He said in this email, “this handsome plant is a mesculum” and urged me to save the seeds. See, he called it a “handsome” plant!!! Ye of little faith, who could possibly think it is a weed …. I emailed him back that day and told him of my discovery of a plant that resembles my plant.
Take the Plant Challenge, and Name that Plant!
We are in disagreement as to what kind of plant I have. So are you going to take the challenge and name that plant that I found AND do you agree with vegetable specialist or me ….. Earn a bit of fame on Green Talk. (Oh, just put me out of my misery so I can eat the plant.)
A Year In A Day says
Hi, it looks very much like Russian red kale to me … I’ve just planted some myself although my plants aren’t quite as big yet
Green Talk says
I am so excited that you thought it was a kale. I actually think it is a Red Ursa kale. (See the picture and see what you think at http://www.wildgardenseed.com/.....php?pID=75) What do you think?
Have you ever eaten a Russian kale? I actually tasted it without thinking it could be poisonous and thought it tasted pretty good. I guess it was not poisonous because I am still around.
It tastes like a mesculum. Should it taste this good? Does anyone else think it is kale? Two votes for Kale and one vote for a Mesculum…Anyone else?
On another note, I want to give your blog, “A Year In A Day,” a little plug. (http://www.stoplaughing.com/au/wordpress)
Readers, authors, Lis Bastian and Helen Deane, have created this international blog “ in response to government’s unwillingness to set targets for carbon emissions” Quoting from their About page because I can not say it better, their blog “ focuses on how targets lead to real action, rather than procrastination. In recording daily attempts to take 2 new actions a day – a new personal action and a political action to address global warming – I’m hoping to make substantial changes in my own life and in the society around me at the same time. I’m focusing on climate action rather than just climate worry – we can do something about this but only if we act immediately.” What is their goal? Have 365 people subscribe to their blog (hence the name, a year in a day) so they can be motivated on a daily basis to take action. Sounds like a great concept. Help Bastian and Deane succeed their goals and better yet, to surpass it!
calendula says
That definitely looks like Red Russian Kale. It grows well as the days get cooler. Depending on where you are, leave it in the ground over winter, add mulch on top to protect it, and it will start growing again in the spring. Enjoy!
Calendula & Concrete
http://www.cc-calendula.blogspot.com
Green Talk says
Thanks, Calendula! Three for Kale, and One for Mesculum! Readers, visit Calendula’s site. It is a beautiful gardening site with wonderful pictures.
John Atwood says
What is this plant? If it has a long skinny root it is poke weed. If it has a “fat” root, white or white and purple, it is a turnip. Dig some dirt at the base of the plant and see if it has a big,fat, round root. If so it is a turnip. The green and root is very edible.
Green Talk says
John, would it be different than regular turnips? I grow them and this leaf does not look anything like it.
Speaking of turnips, there is a weed that has a skinny root but smells like a turnip. Is this the poke weed you are talking about? Can you eat it? Anna
Josefina says
Datura is the given name by the spanish but Aztecs had knowledge of this plant and its hallucinating effects if injested…Aztecs called it toloatzin..or toloache also tolbache.
Green Talk says
Josefina, it is actually a russian kale and I ate it. It must look similar to the plant you are referring to. Anna
mommardz says
so was it ever decided what it was? I’m assuming Red Russian Kale?
Green Talk says
It is russian red kale and has come back now for the third year! Anna
stoep5 says
Wow, in 2013 I had the exact same experience!! The beautiful plant came up in my row of lettuce & grew prolific. When everything else went to seed, this plant just kept growing bigger and nicer. I’ve been carefully eating it with no problem, but a little wary about it. So I googled it and found your website! I’m going to assume it’s Russian Red Kale so I can eat more of it!
Anna@Green Talk says
Stoep5, the plant will go to seed next year, then from those seeds you will get new plants in the fall. Anna