When Beth came over last week to take pictures of our home, she pointed at a bunch of flowers, growing in a 2' bush like clump, and asked, "what are those?"
I matter of factly regurgitated what I had been told that they were.
"Chamomile."
She looked at me quizzically and asked, "Are you sure?"
To which I promptly responded something in the overly confident affirmative.
Which of course, got me wondering.
And researching.
This (above) is Chamomile. This is not what we have.
And now, you know what? I have NO IDEA what our plants are.
So, if you've come to my garden in the past years, and you've been happily handed a clump of potted flowers with the assumption that you've gotten this lovely smelling chamomile.... please don't make any tea out of it until we figure out exactly what this sucker is.
Composite flower head, multiple (layered) bracts, alternate lobed leaf arrangement on stem. Plant height approximately 2 feet tall. Bushy in nature. When crushed, stems, leaves and heads smells faintly of menthol. Pleasant smelling.
I'm starting with the Aster Family.
Only some 5000 more plant identifications to look at.
http://www.wildflowers-and-weeds.com/Plant_Families/Asteraceae.htm
UPDATE: I think I found it. Could this be Feverfew (Chrysanthemum parthenium)?? If so, don't make tea out of it if you are pregnant -- but it's ok for a headache. --Whew!
4 comments:
Looks like some type of mum to me, which is in the aster family.
I updated the blog to include what I think it the answer, Jessica, but thanks for offering help!
Turns out that Asters are an entire family of flowers, so almost EVERYTHING flowering in my garden is an Aster of some variety or other. From Sunflowers, to thistles, to daisies, dahlias to artichokes... all asters. Who knew?
I do believe it is feverfew (which is a medicinal plant) I have a few of the exact same plant you posted, growing in my yard. Feverfew is what I settled with after much exhausted googling.
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