Ah yes! Lamb’s quarter is exactly what I was thinking of. I knew it had an animal in the name. Too bad it’s nightshade and not lambs quarter though. Thank you!Nightshade of some kind.
You might be thinking of lambs quarters? They look quite a bit alike at first glance, especially looking down.
Hi @LaLaP. Glad you're checking into this. I consulted one of my go to books (Edible Wild Plants by John Kallas) - remembered seeing pix that look like what you show. I agree with the others here, it could be Lambsquarters (Chenopodium album) (also known as Wild Spinach or Goosefoot); or it could be what he calls a "Toxic look-alike" - Hairy Nightshade (Solanum physalifolium, S. sarracoides, S. villosum). Neither is safe for tortoises according to the Tortoise Table Plant Database (IMHO, always a good place to check once you know what plant you're looking at).Hi all!
Its been a while since I’ve been on the forum. Life has been busy.
Could anyone help me ID this plant? I think I used to feed it to my tortoises and then I didn’t see it around for a couple years. I’ve forgotten the name and I want to make sure that it’s the one I’m thinking of. Thanks!
Great detail on how to tell them apart! Thanks! Looks like I’ve got the nightshade.Hi @LaLaP. Glad you're checking into this. I consulted one of my go to books (Edible Wild Plants by John Kallas) - remembered seeing pix that look like what you show. I agree with the others here, it could be Lambsquarters (Chenopodium album) (also known as Wild Spinach or Goosefoot); or it could be what he calls a "Toxic look-alike" - Hairy Nightshade (Solanum physalifolium, S. sarracoides, S. villosum). Neither is safe for tortoises according to the Tortoise Table Plant Database (IMHO, always a good place to check once you know what plant you're looking at).
If you're trying to tell if you've got Lambsquarters or a Solanum nightshade, look down at the plant from the top - the leaves of Lambsquarters will be arranged in a star-burst pattern, radiating out from the center. The whole plant will be covered with a fine crystalline, waxy-like powder, most evident and denser at the growing tips. You can spray a mist of water on the leaves - the water should roll right off.
Hairy Nightshade is, well "hairy"; Lambsquarters is not. The Nighthade's flower is distinctive:
View attachment 329948
from HAIRY NIGHTSHADE (Solanum sarrachoides)
OTOH, Lambsquarters flowers don't look anything like that! Here's the Lambsquarter's flower stalk
View attachment 329949
from Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Plant Database
and a close-up of its individual flower:
View attachment 329950
from OnlyFoods.net
Good to know, right? ?Great detail on how to tell them apart! Thanks! Looks like I’ve got the nightshade.