Fun find! Pics!

[thistlebloom]

I trimmed the suckers off one of the maples today and trudged the trimmings over to a nearby "long term " compost pile. One I used to fill with customer deadheadings and whatnot when I didn't have enough of a load to make a dump run worth it.
I haven't made a deposit to this area for probably three years.

There was a large ferny something growing up through the tangle that looked familiar. I took a closer look and was so pleased to discover I have a large sweet cicely growing there!

This fall I'ma gonna dig her up and give her a respectable place in one of the beds. This is a plant that books say wants shade and moist soil, and there it was, in the full all day sun, in an area that never gets summer water. And looking very robust to boot!

It must have started from seeds from trimmings. I've been admiring one at a job, and thinking I would seriously pursue looking for one at a nursery for myself. They aren't a very common sight at the nurseries I frequent.

I'm going back out to check and see if the seedpods have opened. If not, I'll be collecting those puppies!

 

[Collector]

What ever you do, do not give it water or shade you might kill it. That sounds like it will workout great for you, and it's free. SCORE!

 

[Collector]

Just googled it, it has tons of medicinal uses.

 

[thistlebloom]

I couldn't wait for fall and dug it up yesterday. I carried a 5 gallon bucket full of water out there so the roots wouldn't dry out. The roots were so big there was no way they were going in that bucket!

Here's a shot of the foliage. I think it's so pretty. This plant gives off such a pleasant licoricey scent when you touch it, it's going to make a happy addition to the flower garden. Just have to do some rearranging...

 

[vfem]

Beautiful! And it looks like you had 2!!!

 

[ninnymary]

Thistle, does it bloom? Not sure why you're so excited about it. :/

Mary

 

[thistlebloom]

Thistle, does it bloom? Not sure why you're so excited about it. :/

Mary

It does bloom, but the blooms aren't showy. Maybe it would interest you more in person...
I just like it for it's ferny lushness and sweet aroma. It's also useful in an herbal way, though I've never actually used many of the medicinal type plants that grow in my garden. Like yarrow, feverfew, echinacea...
But it's nice to think that I could, if I wanted to.

And knew how. :/

 

[Southern Gardener]

Wow, that is a huge plant - what a great find.

Sweet Cicely was one herb I wanted to plant down here, but unfortunately it does not do well in the south.

 

[thistlebloom]

Yeah, it needs that freeze cycle. If any northern gardeners would like to try sowing some, I saved the seeds.

 

[NwMtGardener]

oh me me! I am so amazed at what a giant plant you got!! Must have been there, lurking around, for a while! I loooooove its scent. Like thistle says, not too exciting in the bloom department tho.

ETA: i was just pondering what to put where some of my old echinacea plants have died out...