identification

[TC]

I noticed this Arum flowering among a large clump of Arums with white flowers and marbled leaves.  The one in the picture is smaller and the leaves are just green.  It has also flowered some weeks later.  I grew my Arums from seed and they have been in at least 10 years.  Is this one a hybrid or a rogue seed that got sown with the originals?

[arisaema]

That's Arisaema candidissimum, maybe a rogue seed or bulblet that reached maturity?

[Véronique Macrelle]

incredible to obtain this species by a rogue sowing!!!
it is beautiful.

[TC]

Thank you for the I.D.  It is growing next to a large clump of Arum  italicum Pictum.  All the arum seeds were from the seed exchange and sown at the same time about 10 years ago. The arums flowered after a few years and are increasing., there must have been an arisaema seed among among the arums and that is why I thought it was a "hybrid" or rogue seed.  Since I posted my request, I noticed that another flower is growing.

[ashley]

I hope Tom doesn't mind if I piggy-back here.

Can anyone please identify this monocot with pleated leaves & orange roots?

[fermi de Sousa]

Possibly a Cypella or whatever genus it's in now,
cheers
fermi

[ashley]

Thanks for the lead Fermi.
It'll be interested to see what it turns out to be.

This spring a volunteer tropaeolum appeared in recycled potting mix which turned out to be T. argentinum.
I've never grown this or knowingly had seed, so its origin is a complete mystery.

[ashley]

Possibly a Cypella or whatever genus it's in now

Cypella aquatilis looks like a possibility.  Time will tell.

[Véronique Macrelle]

Tropaeolum argentinum is a really nice surprise for a ‘guest plant’! It's very pretty. Do you know if it's a perennial or an annual?

Could it be a seed that came from the compost when you bought it?

[ashley]

No Véronique, I don't know whether it's perennial, but recently moved it to a deep pot in case it wants to produce tubers.  The plant is vigorous so although it's just begun flowering I should get plenty of seed.

My potting mix is home-made (garden topsoil, leaf mould, grit, sharp sand) but I recycle it almost endlessly.  The only possible source that I can think of is seed received as T. azureum from seed exchanges 2-3 times over the years that unfortunately I had no success with.  So presumably this is a late germination (after 3 years or more), but welcome ☺️

[Jon Evans]

Ashley
Make sure you get any seed you can - I only grew it once and mine was definitely annual, but I didn't manage to get any ripe seed.

[ashley]

Thanks Jon.  I'll try to get some back to the exchange.

[Véronique Macrelle]

I can't get my Tropaeolum perennials to germinate either, but as I also recycle my compost ... one day I might have a nice surprise like this?
 Already this year, I've got 3 Arisaema that germinated like this  . It's not difficult to identify them as a genus or family, but for others it's sometimes more difficult.

I like surprise plants like that! There's some suspense... Did you quickly work out that it was in the Tropaeolum genus?

[ashley]

Yes I agree Véronique; surprises or mysteries like this can be fun.

For my few perennial tropaeolums where germination may be unreliable, I root a few small tip-cuttings in water at the end of each season as a back-up.
Yes this one was recognizably of that genus, but new to me, very soon after it germinated.

Here's another surprise plant that germinated beside a little citrus plant from a local supermarket, but probably originating from a Dutch nursery.
Initially I thought it might be Saxifraga stolonifera, but clearly it's not.  Any suggestions?

[Véronique Macrelle]

it could be Viola variegata, (often called Viola koreana ou grypoceras var exilis)