What the heck...

[Sweepster]

...is this?

It's a cross between lamb's ears and a cactus, as far as I can tell.
Any ideas?

[zazen999]

*puts hand up

Is it a cardoon?

[Flummery]

Some variety of Globe Arti?

[Sweepster]

Can cardoons or globe artichokes 'arrive' by themselves? It appeared there last year, but was quite titchy. Now it's growing 3 feet per day

*goes off to poke it suspiciously*

[Two_Sheds]

Cardoon

[NSB]

artichoke of some kind

[Tam]

http://www.victoryseeds.com/catalog/...ke/cardoon.jpg

This is a picture of a young cardoon.

[Flummery]

Much rougher though, this one. It looks like the google images pics of globe artichoke seedlings.

[Snadger]

My Cardoon doesn't look like that so I'll guess that it's an artichoke!

[Snadger]

Ok......I've dug out one of my allotment plot piccies taken last week which shows my Cardoon! It's at the back of the piccie to the right of the blue barrel.
I'll let you decide!

[vicky]

It looks like a Scotch Thistle to me
Google Image Result for http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/plants/plant_finder/images/large_db_pics/large/onopordum_acanthium.jpg

[terrier]

I agree, it looks like a type of thistle to me, they grow as soon as you turn your back on them.

[Sweepster]

By George, I think you've got it! After strenuously denying all knowledge and responsibility, it seems I had a few Scottish thistle seeds in 2007... must have scattered and forgotten them

Thanks all!

[basketcase]

By George, I think you've got it! After strenuously denying all knowledge and responsibility, it seems I had a few Scottish thistle seeds in 2007... must have scattered and forgotten them

Thanks all!

You mean you grew thistles ON PURPOSE?!

[Sweepster]

LOL ... I think they came with some other packets of seeds for 'bird-friendly' plants... teasel and suchlike... with a bird feeder kit from Gardener's World mag... I think...

Am quite glad that only one of these germinated, though... it's like a huge spiny tree