What is this plant?

[Alice]

If it walks like a duck, and talks like a duck, then it needs a little longer in the oven

[andrewo]

It's chicory, you can get common chicory that isn't edible put has lovely blue flowers on it, you have to plant it in pots or it is very invasive. This looks like the stuff I grow but I may be wrong...would be interested to know what it is.

[SueA]

Andrew are you replying to Eskymo or Geordie? I thought Eskymo's looked like foxglove & Geordie's quiz looked like chicory & some weird root- what is Galangal root?

[Lesley Jay]

Sue Galangal is a member of the ginger family and is used in South East Asian cooking especially Thai. You can buy it fresh or dried and you use it just like ginger. You will find it in Thai curry paste recipes.

[andrewo]

Andrew are you replying to Eskymo or Geordie? I thought Eskymo's looked like foxglove & Geordie's quiz looked like chicory & some weird root- what is Galangal root?

I am lost, I think it was Geordie with the big root and chicory like pods.

[catbud]

Eskymo-definitely a foxglove

[Geordie]

Chicory it is

[SueA]

Thanks LJ, I 'm not too keen on Thai curries- maybe it's the galangal root which gives it the flavour I don't like? I do quite like root ginger though so maybe not.

[eskymo]

I'll keep you all posted with regards to my mystery plants...I have to wait until they flower...I've planted them out all over the garden and they're getting taller, so methinks they may be foxgloves...who knows.

[eskymo]

Prizes for all the people who suggested that my mystery plant was a foxglove! All the plants are now sending up tall central shoots and beginning to form flowers and they all definiteyl look like foxgloves now - yippee! I love foxgloves!

Do they self seed - i.e. will I have them every year now? Also do I need to do anything with them once they've flowered?

[Shortie]

Oh yes esky, they will self seed. They can be a bit of a weed if let to they own devices...

BUT, they're fantastic for pollenating insects, so worth keeping

[Jaxom]

Some fresh seed sown now 2006 will start to produce plants by October which may flower in summer 2007.
A lot more seed will over winter and germinate in spring 2007 and then produce flowers summer 2008.

[Alice]

Eskymo, you'll have the foxglove for ever more. They seed all over the place. You don't HAVE to do anything once they've flowered but if you're wise you will cut down the old flowers before they seed. Even then, they will pop up everywhere. But no matter, they are very lovely and easy to remove if you find them in an unsuitable place. I should tell anyone what to do with them ! I have them everywhere and no heart to pull them out !

[eskymo]

How do you know when theya re going to seed?

[Alice]

When the flowers have gone past you can see the seeds on them Eskymo.