Thursday, August 02, 2012

Aliens

I don't know what these are, but I think they look like aliens. A certain physician in Phoenix will insist that they're triffids. They've invaded the vineyard. I hope they don't come for us.

They flower from bottom to top.
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11 comments:

  1. chm02 August, 2012 09:36

    This “alien” is probably Plantago lanceolata or narrowleaf plantain.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plantago_lanceolata
    http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=PLLA

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  2. MorningAJ02 August, 2012 15:14

    Looks like plantain to me. We used to pley with them when we were young. You cn pick the stalks and 'shoot' the heads by making a loop with the end of the stalk around the head end - then pulling sharply backwards. (If that makes sense. Not sure I've explained it too well.)

    The way to tell if they're triffids or not is to sneeze on them. Triffids die when they catch colds.

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  3. Evelyn02 August, 2012 15:19

    AJ, we did the same thing with them as a kid. What we made was like a bow with the head shooting out. Great fun. also made bracelets and other jewelry with clover, sucked honeysuckle juice, etc. Summer fun!
    Beautiful photo, Walt.

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  4. Moving with Mitchell02 August, 2012 15:21

    Yes, I too think these are plantains. And in a month or so, they will be covered with bunches of bananas (well... plantains).

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  5. Amanda02 August, 2012 16:40

    It is good in salad. It is getting fashionable to eat plantain as it is very nutritious (related to spinach). Like pissenlit, it is better when picked young.

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  6. Starman02 August, 2012 20:03

    I'm surprised you didn't indicate "click to alienate"!

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  7. Mary02 August, 2012 22:08

    hehehehehehe

    Mary in Oregon

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  8. wcs03 August, 2012 11:44

    chm, so it is! Thank you!

    morningaj, I know exactly what you mean. I hope my neighbors don't think me mad when I go sneezing on the plants...

    evelyn, I did some of that stuff, too. And, being a boy, I fried grasshoppers with a magnifying glass.

    mitch, hehehe. I wish!

    nadege, I'll have to do some research on that, it's so plentiful!

    starman, good one!

    mary, :)

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  9. Ur-spo04 August, 2012 07:35

    no of course not, I don't know where you get these zany ideas.

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  10. Mary0705 August, 2012 20:10

    To Ur-spo : thanks for teaching me "zany" ("loufoque" in French...) :-) !

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Tell me what you think!