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Rabaelthazar

What is this plant?

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Hi guys,

A very generous member on this site gave me a small number of Desmanthus Illinoensis seeds a little while back and they were sown in September. Two of the three seeds sprouted and of the two, only one made it past the 10mm mark. Now, three months on it is a healthy looking seedling but now it has developed its distinguishing features it seems more likely that it is something other than Desmanthus Illinoensis. I've never grown Desmanthus before, but from what I've read, I believe that a Desmanthus seedling is meant to have a similar appearance to an Acacia seedling.

As you can see from the picture, this plant has much larger leaves with a smoothly serrated edge and a roughish texture on the top surface of the leaves. Also, this particular specimen has sort of draped itself over the side of the pot.

So... first of all, can anyone ID the plant?

Secondly, is the draping effect meant to be this way or should I be taking measures to correct its posture, so to speak? The picture makes it look as though the plant has collapsed under its own weight, but, in fact, the plant has been growing this way ever since it was big enough to reach the edge of the pot. The apparent kink in the stem is just the way it has grown.

Thanks to anyone who can help.

Desmanthus.jpg

Desmanthus2.jpg

Edited by Rabaelthazar

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8 answers to this question

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looks quite a bit like a member of the mint family to me.

grab one of the leaves between thumb and pointer and rub gently without hurting the leaf.

now smell your finger tip, does it swell minty?

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Turnera diffusa, Damiana in bad lighting?, maybe?

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don't think it's tunera, the leaves don't look right for tunera (tunera leaves have slight intentations).

tunera seeds get hardly traded, i never heard of anyone growing tunera by seed.

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looks quite a bit like a member of the mint family to me.

grab one of the leaves between thumb and pointer and rub gently without hurting the leaf.

now smell your finger tip, does it swell minty?

 

Thanks Planthelper...

yeah, there's a minty smell, but unlike regular mint. I'll keep looking after this plant... could potentially add some interesting flavour to the kitchen.

Much obliged.

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Yeah def lamiaceae, looks so damn familiar. Cat nip perhaps... Bit young yet. Have to wait and see how the leaf structure develops and it habit.

Edited by Harry

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At a glance I thought Perovskia perhaps, but that smells like vicks vaporub not mint and the leaves aren't hairy enough.

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maybe it's for culinary use, but my inclinations are towards,... it's one, of those other active salvias?

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I was happy with mint, but your last suggestion, Planthelper, could be interesting.

Thanks Shruman, Harry and Yeti... I'll update this thread with new pics in a few months and give everyone another chance at IDing.

Thanks again, everyone.

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