Anyone recognize this one?

[Tom]

It appears to be in the mallow/hibiscus family:

 

[Gabriel Luna]

I don't know the name, but I want to know what it is.

 

[Tom]

@Iochroma ?

May I request your expertise once again?

 

[Yvonne G]

No need to call in the big guns (Iochroma), this is a common old hollyhock.

 

[Tom]

No need to call in the big guns (Iochroma), this is a common old hollyhock.

This just popped up all on its own on a neighbors place. They putdown some heavy mulch and this grew right out of it. There are thousands of seeds sitting on it right now.

Is it edible for tortoises?

 

[Yvonne G]

Yes, quite edible. I always add a few hollyhock leaves to my babies' salad. Each flower makes many, many seeds. And there are quite a few flowers per stalk.

 

[Tom]

I'm going seed collecting later!!! Obviously these plants can take my extreme weather since this one grew all on its own in an area where it really shouldn't have been able to.

I just "discovered" a new tortoise food!!! Woo hoo!

Thanks Yvonne.

 

[Prairie Mom]

Tom, I sent you hollyhock seeds in the mail!!! I tried to give you this variety...

These are fantastic tortoise food and sooooo good for cold climate keepers because there are varieties of Hollyhock that can survive a few snowstorms. They're also amazing re-seeders. They keep their seeds in nice tight bundles...

 

[Prairie Mom]

If you want more seeds to try out, let me know. I know that Jacqui and Yvonne have a bunch of different colors of these as well. I have a few "baby plants" of my peach one that grew on their own around the mother plant. Let me know if you want me to dig one up!

 

[Tom]

Tom, I sent you hollyhock seeds in the mail!!! I tried to give you this variety...

I didn't remember the name. They went into my seed box to be planted next spring. I procrastinated and never got around to planting much of anything this year. I tried to plant some seed mixes in June and the little sprouts just burned in the hot sun despite being kept well watered all day long.

In 2016 I'm determined to plant good and early. They are telling us we are going to have torrential rain all winter long due to the "El Niño", but we shall see. I'll plant your seed next to the ones from this one and we'll see how they do.

 

[Prairie Mom]

I didn't remember the name. They went into my seed box to be planted next spring. I procrastinated and never got around to planting much of anything this year. I tried to plant some seed mixes in June and the little sprouts just burned in the hot sun despite being kept well watered all day long.

In 2016 I'm determined to plant good and early. They are telling us we are going to have torrential rain all winter long due to the "El Niño", but we shall see. I'll plant your seed next to the ones from this one and we'll see how they do.

I've heard about the crazy rain forecasts and hoping California is not met with horrible mudslides etc this winter.
No worries about the seeds I actually planted, started to grow well, and brutally KILLED one of the African hibiscus you sent me Try and try again!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hollyhock grows in the very worst of conditions. My lot is up on a hill, and the street that goes by the front of my house is down a berm about 10'. It's dry, hard dirt down there next to the street, with some road base mixed in. This past spring a very pretty dark, dark red hollyhock grew from seed (I guess birds dropped) and went through its whole life cycle, all summer long, with no water. We had just enough rain last winter to give the seed a start, but no rain to speak of to keep that plant alive.

I thought I had a picture of the plant, but I guess I don't. And it's dark out now. But here's the same color hollyhock growing in my backyard:

 

[pdrobber]

I better get me some of these in the spring for the yard!

 

[Prairie Mom]

I better get me some of these in the spring for the yard!

Put a note up about this in the garden chat come Spring time and I bet a few of us will have seeds and/or young plants we could send your way.

These plants are such fun tortoise food because they're easy, beautiful too, and come in every color you can imagine.

 

[Prairie Mom]

I've included Hollyhocks in a few posts. I love these things...

This one has a pic I got off the internet that shows some varieties of colors...
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...pics-of-annuals-cold-hardy-perennials.110773/

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/these-can-be-frozen-thawed-and-retain-good-texture.128563/

 

[pdrobber]

Put a note up about this in the garden chat come Spring time and I bet a few of us will have seeds and/or young plants we could send your way.

I could trade you for some rose of Sharon seeds.

 

[AnimalLady]

Tom, I sent you hollyhock seeds in the mail!!! I tried to give you this variety...
View attachment 153494
These are fantastic tortoise food and sooooo good for cold climate keepers because there are varieties of Hollyhock that can survive a few snowstorms. They're also amazing re-seeders. They keep their seeds in nice tight bundles...
View attachment 153495

My goodness that's a pretty flower!!