The mystery sprout in my window (New Photos Added!!! 10/06/08)

[vfem]

...and that's just what it is, a mystery. I planted Pink Hibiscus back in August in a FRESH tray of soil where nothing else had ever been planted (other then the eggs that came in it). Now, I had what I thought was 2 Hibiscus sprouts, but the 2nd one looks nothing like the first one and the first one has been replanted in its own pot already to thrive.

Now, remember, this was back like the 1st or 2nd week of august. Hibiscus take a lot of time to get going and sprout well. This one will stay in the house and get replanted in the spring, its just taking way to long to get in some nice strong leaves.

HIBISCUS

Still MANY weeks later, I have this tiny sprout left in the container thriving, but slowly. It sprouted out of the dirt only 1 week after the first Hibiscus sprouted. It's still half the size of the hibiscus, and still looks NOTHING like it. Now a week 1/2 ago I planted some Parsley in there, but this was sprouted long before I ever planted something else.

Here's some pictures, I don't think anyone can tell what it is for sure... but if you can GREAT!

MYSTERY PLANT

Ok, so here's the game plan. I'm going to grow the thing. I'm sure its not a weed as it took an unbelievable amount of time to amount to this size. I'm going to photo is at it grows, replant it, and treat it like its been wanted all along. I'll record its growth here regularly.


If it helps at all figuring what it is... I collected the hibiscus seed myself at our local Zoo.

 

[CottageGardener123]

That's awsome you have hibiscus! Sorry, but the mystery plant is too young to know what it is.

 

[poppycat]

Hard to say at this point. Did you save the hibiscus seeds yourself or did you buy them somewhere? The reason I ask is if you saved them yourself you might be able to ID you hitchhiker by looking at what is growing near the hibiscus.

It's way too soon to say what the little plant is but I will throw forget-me-not as a wild guess. Seedling identification is tough!

 

[vfem]

I figured it would be hard....

I gathered these myself while at the zoo in august. It was in the 'North America Marshlands" walk. However, I POCKETED the pods from the plant after a 5 acre walk. SO the hitchhiker could have been any plant along the walk that dropped some seeds in my pocket. They have 65000 varieties of plants. I also walked through the 'African' walk before I got to North America... so it could have been any crazy plant I suppose!?

Anyways... I will just watch and see what happens... so far as part of the puzzle for anyone wanted to try to guess as we 'grow' it likes VERY damp soil. Hibiscus need constant damp soil to keep there growth going. I have been misting and watering these 3-5 times a day! Not a lot of plants will do well in such damp conditions. But these are thriving!

I'm planning on replanting this into its own pot tomorrow.

 

[vfem]

It's way too soon to say what the little plant is but I will throw forget-me-not as a wild guess. Seedling identification is tough!

I can say for SURE its not a Forget-me-not, I have those seeds here and I know what they look like. The seed I planted was very similiar to the hibiscus seed... dark, good midsize seed, smooth on the outside and a half moon shape.

 

[vfem]

My how it has grown, and I've juggled more ideas of what it could be. I've moved it to its own container... not getting very big, but its hardy.

Could it possibly be a weed to be growing so slowly?

I was wondering... as HARD as they are to grow, could it be a petunia? Could one of those TINY little seeds have floated in this container. I do have petunias, and I did collect seeds this year.... just not at the zoo where I got my Hibiscus plant?!

Notice the fuzzy stem? The leaves getting sharper points?

Throw me some ideas! I'm dying to know what life I have created!

 

[vfem]

Here are some petunia seedling photos I found through google...

what do you think?

Similar at all?

 

[CottageGardener123]

You know what vfem, I think you have petunias, although I'm not 100% sure. Post new pics when they grow.

 

[Reinbeau]

Petunia is a good guess, but it also looks like a borage seedling (very fuzzy).

 

[vfem]

I've looked at borage and it would have grown faster then this plant did. I know petunia is tempermental. It would be something very slow sprouting! Also, I have no borage here, and I don't recall seeing any type of herb plant at the zoo... BUT the possibility is still there!!!!

This is a fun mystery watching grow.... even my husband keeps asking if I've figured it out yet.

Biggest problem is the ZOO where I kinda borrowed some seeds from, States they have 65000 plants native to North America and AFRICA!!!

So I guess I have to be patient and wait.... and after this, it better not be a weed!