Strange Plant - can you help identify?

angieh · 13-08-2009, 02:05 PM

I asked my gardener this morning to get rid of this vine which was becoming invasive. I thought it was an ordinary sort of gourd perhaps but it had the most amazing tuberous root. The photo of it only shows about half as he couldn't get the rest of it out of the ground!!! It was growing in dry soil in shade, but we found another plant growing around the roses in the front of the house which is also in dry soil, but in direct sun. We also found another young plant growing amongst ferns by the pond, also dry and shady. That one had a tap root like a parsnip and we got it all out. Does anyone have any idea what it is?

Leaf & tendril

Tuber (part of)

Part of plant

Flower (sorry, not as sharp a photo as I'd like. It has 5 petals and is creamy white with green stripes.

dinahsmum · 13-08-2009, 02:11 PM

It almost looks like a Castor Oil plant angie - that might be a starting point if you're going to go on the RHS website or similar

Pity you couldn't leave it - or maybe you have left a part?

angieh · 13-08-2009, 02:24 PM

Just looked at castor oil plant DM - not that I'm afraid. Leaves are wrong and it doesn't have a hollow stem.

borderdawn · 13-08-2009, 04:29 PM

I think its a poison Ivy.

dandysmom · 13-08-2009, 04:36 PM

Definitely not poison ivy, foliage is wrong and the tendrils rule it out also. It's not a Madeira vine or a yam ... stumped on this one; will do a Google search after lunch. I love a good mystery like this1

angieh · 13-08-2009, 05:43 PM

Any help very welcome. No, it's not poison ivy Dawn - I handled it with no ill effects. It isn't hairy either.

SageCat · 13-08-2009, 07:28 PM

I've never anything like that! The flowers on it are pretty. I'll join in the hunt!

Leesy · 13-08-2009, 08:19 PM

Sorry Angie the mystery plant has me stumped as well, never seen anything like that before, very strange indeed.

EmmaG · 13-08-2009, 08:22 PM

Hi,

I think it could either be bind weed, some sort of passion flower or a virginia creeper

angieh · 13-08-2009, 08:27 PM

Just looked at your suggestions Emma - afraid definitely not a bindweed or a passion flower. The flowers ARE like those of Virginia Creeper, but the leaves are wrong. Good suggestion there.

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