Exchange of comments on Not Really Blue Irises:
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There are very few truly blue flowers out there. The only ones that my memory tells me I've seen blue examples of are delphiniums and hydrangeas. I know there are others out there, but most seem to have a tinge of purple to them (to my eyes anyway).
There is a teeny tiny "weed" that I fight which has truly blue (but not deep blue) flowers. It may even be something that I planted (like an herb, perhaps) that got away from me and that I don't remember, so don't know what it is. Perhaps I should post a photo to let you help me, Bogie.
I am always trying to find blue flowers and where some will look blue in photos and certain lighting, very few actually are. The challenge goes on
Bogie & Rain--Bogie was correct. When I went out to take pictures of the tiny "weed", up close, I could see that the blossoms have a bit of red in them. I'll try to post a photo, when I have time, but the blossoms themselves are not much larger than the head of a straight pin.
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The camera's battery was too drained to take photos that day. The next day, the plants were in the shade (with blossoms closed) by the time I thought of it. Today I went out to do the deed. As it turns out, on closer inspection, the "weed" that I mentioned fighting is actually two different varieties, if not species (never having studied botony or biology, I lack the language.) Now, I am ready to post the photos; but, my hp Image Zone software will not open so that I can crop the photos (to save pixels) and so that I may save the photo files in the correct format for uploading. Now, much later, the software has been uninstalled and installed. Here are some photos.
Weed #1 has blossoms that I measured to be 0.1" across. In sunlight, I can see a faint tinge of reddishness in the throat of the blossoms, which you can probably see too if you click to enlarge the photo of the blossoms. The first photo shows a Weed #1 that I pulled from the ground and laid on a concrete step to show the plant off, better. The second photo shows a close-up of the blossoms on a Weed #1 that is still rooted in the ground.
Weed #2 has blossoms that measure only 0.05" across. I can detect no red in the throat of its blossoms; but, at such a small size I'm doing well to see the blossoms at all.
The two weeds seem to mingle in many places; thus, I had not noticed that there are two distinct plants. They are both prolific in my foundation planting beds. If you can identify either one or both, please do so!
The bonus photo for this posting is of an amaryllis that is in bloom, from a bulb that I purchased from Wal-Mart a few months ago. Unfortunately, the carry-over bulb from Christmas of 2005 does not seem inclined to bloom, this year.
CopCar, I've no idea of either weed, I'm afraid but just wanted to say that I have an Amaryllis exactly the same as yours but mine finished flowering about a month ago, much earlier than yours. I can't remember how old it is, though, but it must be at least 15 years old, I bought it from a market stall. And it flowers every year. So you know that you too now have your amaryllis for life.
Posted by: Adele | May 23, 2008 at 03:51 AM
Thanks for the encouragement, Adele. Our bulb bloomed late because I intentionally held it in the veggie compartment of a refrigerator so that the bulb that was held over from 2005 would bloom, first. The fact that the held-over bulb would not bloom had not occurred to me!
Some of our weeds match yours, I'm sure, but who know what the native land(s) for these weeds is/are.
Posted by: Cop Car | May 23, 2008 at 09:03 AM
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://i.pbase.com/g3/57/652557/2/57968301.cas0003_DSC2652copy.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.pbase.com/cswatzell/image/57968301&h=675&w=800&sz=52&hl=en&start=16&tbnid=EtTHENCOdXNxKM:&tbnh=121&tbnw=143&prev=/images%3Fq%3DWeeds%2Bwith%2Bblue%2Bflowers%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den
SOmeone else took a picture of the same weed.....but didn't identify it!
Posted by: buffy | May 23, 2008 at 12:18 PM
The first weed looks rather like a member of the mint family. I wonder where that thought might take us if we surfed with it?
Posted by: buffy | May 23, 2008 at 12:19 PM
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.blitzworld.com/Weeds/images_N/DSCN1248.JPG&imgrefurl=http://www.blitzworld.com/Weeds/weeds1.htm&h=336&w=448&sz=47&hl=en&start=43&tbnid=2CruSu3uslho1M:&tbnh=95&tbnw=127&prev=/images%3Fq%3DCreeping%2Bweed%2Bwith%2Bblue%2Bflowers%26start%3D40%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D20%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN
Could it be related to a "Speedwell Persian?"
Posted by: buffy | May 23, 2008 at 12:27 PM
Buffy--I think you have put a name to Weed #1--Speedwell Persian--thank you! Both photos to which your links lead seem to be Weed #1. The USDA website gives the following family tree:
Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass Asteridae
Order Scrophulariales
Family Scrophulariaceae – Figwort family
Genus Veronica L. – speedwell P
Species Veronica persica Poir. – birdeye speedwell P
I don't think either is a mint (which, just looking at them seemed reasonable enough). I meant to mention that both weeds have round stems, as far as I can tell by rolling them between my fingers.
Anyone want to go for Weed #2?
Posted by: Cop Car | May 23, 2008 at 05:26 PM