Do you recognise this plant

[lwcreations]

Hi everyone,

We have this plant over on our allotment site and it is huge and very spiky, can anyone tell me what it is please? It has to be over 5ft tall as it is taller than me lol. (first 2 photos)

Also in my back garden I have 2 magnolia trees, 1 is fine but the youngest one has something growing on it, can anyone tell me what it is and if it is treatable?

Many thanks

[Flummery]

It's a globe artichoke. As to the magnolia, it looks (although the focus is fuzzy) like it might be lichen, which is harmless to the tree and is an indicator of clean air. You can scrape it off if you like but be careful not to scrape the bark.

[Pumpkin Becki]

I think...if I've got my eyes screwed in right today that your Magnolia has an infestation of scale insects.

They form a hard protective dome shaped shell (usually sort of chestnut brown coloured), and sit underneath sucking the sap. The white 'fluff' you can see is being excreted by them.

I find that the easiest way to get rid of them is by hand, rubbing them off the bark, though I appreciate that this may not be possible if its a big tree or big infestation or both.

[lwcreations]

Thank you Flummery, we all thought it was some type of thistle!

Thank you Pumpkin Becki that sounds exactly like what they are, there are loads of them though so will have to see what the best course of action will be - scrape or get rid!

[Pumpkin Becki]

Once you've squished the worst of them, it should be possible to keep on top of the rest of the population, it just means regularly checking the tree over (say once a month initially) and rubbing off any more that you find.

The tree should be fine, but if the population is left to multiply unchecked, then the tree will start to suffer eventually.

[Bigmallly]

Maybe a silly suggestion but would a power wash clean the Magnolia, I was thinking also maybe you can add some kind of remedial soloution(sp) to the water.

[Pumpkin Becki]

They're pretty determined little wotsits (bit like barnicles in that respect!), possibly a bucket of water and a scrubbing/ nail brush might do the trick.

[vicky]

Horrible scale insects and I think it's a Scotch Thistle not an artichoke!

[di]

I think it's a thistle too...mighty impressive size
Years ago our neighbour bought some seed for them(I only know them as Giant Thistle)....following years,instead of it being an uncommon plant she'd try out it was everywhere....so if you plan on keeping it it could be an idea to nip the flower out before it goes to seed

[phil the shed]

is it a Cardoon?

[rustylady]

I think...if I've got my eyes screwed in right today that your Magnolia has an infestation of scale insects.

They form a hard protective dome shaped shell (usually sort of chestnut brown coloured), and sit underneath sucking the sap. The white 'fluff' you can see is being excreted by them.

I find that the easiest way to get rid of them is by hand, rubbing them off the bark, though I appreciate that this may not be possible if its a big tree or big infestation or both.

Apparently they don't like being rubbed with cotton wool soaked in methylated spirit.

[TallGirl]

Globe artichokes and cardoons are both members of the thistle family. That's why it looks like a thistle - it is one!

[Lovage]

Yep it's a Scotch or Cotton Thistle - onopordum arabicum.
Its a biennial which seeds itself moderately and grows up to 6ft

[Flummery]

Never seen a thistle that silver!

[LolaLou]

Lisa - I'm glad you put a picutre of those scale thingies on here. We have trees between our house and the opposite gardens in 'dead land' and they are covered in them and now so is my lovely acer.....will be nail brushing them off this weekend (tried the hose thing last night and it didn't work). Quite disgustingly, completely unsure of what they were, as you do, I scraped a whole lot off with my hand the other day and now read "The white 'fluff' you can see is being excreted by them", lovely!