Anyone have an idea what this might be?

18 Jul '06 5:49 pm

I had a local gardener around today who said they are definitely not Angelica. The trunk is almost "palm tree" like in appearance but, having cut down 2 with a saw over the weekend, they are like tree trunks inside. I have left the 6 and 7 ft ones in place so I have some to show people!! Botanical gardens haven't replied yet... it's becoming a bit of a mission - hope I didn't fell and burn some poor plants that only grow once in a decade or something similarly tragic!!

Moorf

19 Jul '06 3:20 pm

Hmmmm, would anyone else be worried if Auckland Botanical Gardens has forwarded it to NZ Biosecurity?? Shocked

That's what they are doing, they emailed this morning!!

"Put down your trowel and slowly back away from the plant please madam....."

Moorf

19 Jul '06 4:10 pm

I`ve been following this mystery each day in the forum - --I have two of them -I think they are harmless ,but I do wonder what they are named now. Do you think you`ll get on TV Moorf ?
Dixie.

19 Jul '06 10:43 pm

TV??

You mean when they come to take me away to some biosecurity jail and burn my house and property to the ground to save it from the deadly, mutant wannabe-Angelica's? Oh my....

21 Jul '06 4:51 am

Oh dear

Your future is sealed. It is worse than some high security prison. You are no longer for this world.

You have the Tree-of-Heaven, Ailanthus altissima See http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/aial1.htm

I chopped one out (a handsome tree) because it was in the wrong place. Its roots are still suckering 6 years on. I have three others which I should chop out. I think my climate is not hot enough for them to be truly invasive here - just persistent. But greenies from the sub-tropical areas are horified to see them. In Johannesburg I first noticed them, colonising waste sites rather attractively...

21 Jul '06 6:37 am

I have gone to the sites featuring ailanthus altissima ..Much as I like the name 'tree of heaven' ,it does not look exactly like the one I have ..Mine does not sucker ,has no smell ,and the leaves and stems of the leaves are soft and fleshy ..They also have a burnished look on the edges of the leaves sometimes ,as in Moorf`s photos.
Dixie.

21 Jul '06 11:05 am

It`s Angelica Archangelica ...Goose and Teecee were both right about the Angelica name ,but the species is Archangelica ..used for medicinal purposes .I went to Google and there is plenty of information and pictures.It also led me to 'Dong Quai' which is made from Angelica Sinensis ..the pictures look similar . Flowers every two years .I shall continue to admire mine ,but unsure about eating it !.
Dixie.

23 Jul '06 2:55 pm

I still can't find a pic of one that has a trunk like mine all do! In the piccies of Angelica they look like solid "plant/green" stems, mine look like they have bark on them!

Confused

23 Jul '06 7:03 pm

The stems probably look like bark because they are old (Happens to us all ! )Mine are only a metre tall ,and the stems are woody ,and have rings near the top.
Dixie.

31 Jul '06 9:35 pm

Hi Morf
Have you heard anything from bio security or the Botanic gardens ? Im surprised its taking this long to give you an answer, real strange... what is it?????

Anyone have an idea what this might be?

curiouser and curiouser

You've got yourself a one-way ticket to....

Mystery plant

Angelica Archangelica

Mystery plant

Have you heard yet?