Mystery plant - help please.

[marigold007]

Can anyone identify this plant in the attachment? I tried to dig it out, but it just laughed at my fork and didn't budge a centimetre. It is on a corner of a newly dug 8' x 4' Jerusalem artichoke bed. Will they be happy together if I cannot move it?

[Pumpkin Becki]

Hmm, tricky to tell for sure, but there is something a bit parsnippy about those leaves...

[scarey55]

Looks a bit like a buttercup to me but, if it is, I can't see why you couldn't dig it out they're not especially deep rooted - but then, I could be completely wrong

[Nicos]

My first thought was also buttercup- but then the thought of a huge parsnip beneath those leaves seems quite likely!!!

Have another gentle go at forking it up- you might be in for a pleasant surprise!!! yum yum

[marigold007]

Maybe I should also mention that my allotment hasn't been used as an allotment for about 20 years. Can a parsnip and its subsequent generations survive that long amongst nettles and brambles?

I'll take a picture if it is a parsnip!!

[Nicos]

After 20 yrs it would be HUGE!!!!!!!...nah - sounds unlikely then!....mind you- it may have self seeded!

[Eyren]

It could be hogweed (related to parsley and, yes, parsnips) - are the stems hairy or smooth? Examine carefully, though - the hairy one (giant hogweed) is phototoxic (has irritant sap), and needs to be removed using herbicides as it is a pernicious foreign weed

Common Hogweed - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Giant Hogweed - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[scarey55]

Don't know if it helps but I have just taken a picture of a parsnip and a buttercup.

Is it on its own or are there loads more? If it is a buttercup and it has been left for that long, you will be inundated with them. If not, it is looking more like a parsnip.

Pic 1 is a parsnip and pic 2 is of buttercups.

[dammad49]

It looks like Lovage and if so will have an E N O R M O U S root system after 20 years.

[SarzWix]

This is Lovage - mine is just emerging now, so isn't as tall as the one in the picture yet. If it is that, then yeah, it'll have a mahoosive root system, and it'll grow really tall and bushy too...

[marigold007]

I'll have to check it out more closely when I am next at the allotment. Lovage, angelica, or even a big parsnip would all be welcome!

EDIT: Does anyone know of a cheapish key to UK plants?

[coreopsis]

Gosh,I wish I had 20 year old lovage-my last one died smothered by mad invasive raspberries
Marigold,just think about all these yummy soups and casseroles with lovage

[marigold007]

Can you believe, I've never had lovage before in my life!! It did pop up when someone else blogged about their lovage plant coming back after Winter.

[Eyren]

EDIT: Does anyone know of a cheapish key to UK plants?

Try AbeBooks - great online secondhand bookshop (my first port of call since I'm boycotting Amazon):

Wild Flowers of Britain and Northern Europe (Collins Handguides): Richard Sidney Richmond Fitter, Alastair Fitter, Marjorie Blamey: 0002197154

The first book has lovely paintings - not many keys as such, but everything is organised by family so once you have that sorted, the rest is easy. I used to have this, but our elderly cat peed on it I'll be buying a replacement soon, perhaps the new edition (not so cheap!).

The Wild Flower Key. A guide to plant identification in the field with and without flowers.: ROSE (Francis)

Rose is more expensive, but uses lots of keys.

[marigold007]

Woah, that is a good discount and a fab way to learn the plants by sight. I'll have to save my pennies for the Rose Key. I like to feel smart and keep my botanical vocab going, using words like serrated and lobed leaf and so on. I've seen it on Amazon before and was discouraged by the price. Why are you boycotting Amazon? I've sold a few books that way. They do take a hefty chunk of the selling price!

There looks to be a break in the predicted rain this afternoon. I'll take the camera. It should be lots larger by today.

Edit: I didn't notice at first that the link to the Rose book was also Abe Books. hmm. That place is really tempting to the bibliophile.