Friend or Foe ?

Discussion in 'Identification Area' started by capney, Jun 23, 2010.

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  1. capney

    capney Head Gardener

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    This has appeared over the last few days in a friends garden I have no idea what it is??
    I`m guessing its something that we do not want in our gardens.
    Can anybody ID this for me please...
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
    capney, Jun 23, 2010
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  2. Doghouse Riley

    Doghouse Riley Head Gardener

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    Hmm..

    Definitely looks invasive.
     
    Doghouse Riley, Jun 23, 2010
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  3. capney

    capney Head Gardener

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    Yeap.. have to agree with you ..but a positive idea would be great
     
    capney, Jun 23, 2010
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  4. Phil A

    Phil A Guest

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    Its some sort of passion fruit, make a nice climber
     
    Phil A, Jun 23, 2010
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  5. Marley Farley

    Marley Farley Affable Admin! Staff Member

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    Hi Robert it is Wild Hops Bryonia dioica.. You & your friend could get self sufficient in growing hops to brew your own beer..!! :wink:
     
    Marley Farley, Jun 23, 2010
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  6. Phil A

    Phil A Guest

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    Sorry Marley, but i think briony dioica is white bryony or devils turnips, which is poisonous, not wild hops, which is a member of the cannabis family.

    Think your id is closer than my first one though
     
    Phil A, Jun 23, 2010
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  7. Marley Farley

    Marley Farley Affable Admin! Staff Member

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    :dh: You are right I am getting it a bit confused aren't I.. :dh: I started out thinking wild hops & ended up with White bryony, then didn't change my post.. As I was wrong I have deleted that one.. :doh:

    This Definitely White Bryony Robert...[​IMG]

    Thanks for putting me right Ziggy, we got there in the end..
     
    Marley Farley, Jun 23, 2010
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  8. Lovage

    Lovage Gardener

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    Absolutely - it's White Bryony ( Bryonia alba ) and it's poisonous, particularly the fruit
     
    Lovage, Jun 23, 2010
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  9. Phil A

    Phil A Guest

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    Cool, all sorted then. White bryony is a cucurbit, a member of the gourd family. Black bryony on the other hand is a member of the yam family. Some of you may have seen the Ray Smears, extreme gynacology programs where they are cooking the cheeky yam & removing the calcium oxalate. Our ancestors probably did similar with our black bryony. I wonder how much knowledge we have lost about processing foods.
     
    Phil A, Jun 23, 2010
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  10. Karl-D

    Karl-D Gardener

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    But can you smoke it hahahaha
     
    Karl-D, Jun 23, 2010
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  11. Marley Farley

    Marley Farley Affable Admin! Staff Member

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    :dh: Oh Jeshe no Karl...!!!! s00k
    :oops: These are the very poisonous fruits as well Robert, so I think.... Get rid of the vine ASAP..!!!!
    [​IMG]
     
    Marley Farley, Jun 23, 2010
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  12. Phil A

    Phil A Guest

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    Dont get rid of it,just dont eat it or smoke it
     
    Phil A, Jun 23, 2010
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  13. shiney

    shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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    Robert,

    In answer to your question - FOE :(

    It's fine in other people's gardens but you don't want it in yours :hehe:. It sets seed and propagates very easily and can be a real nuisance - unless you have plenty of space for it. It thinks nothing of growing 30ft in a season. One plant is OK but, unfortunately, it likes to bring up its family all around it :).

    Birds usually bring it into gardens and it has a habit of seeding in hedges (thank you birds :mad:) and not being visible until it has grown up and through the hedge.

    As you know, we allow lots of self seeded plants in our garden but bryonia is a no-no. We, regularly, pull it up (can't dig it out when it is in the hedges or growing through our specimen conifers).
     
    shiney, Jun 24, 2010
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  14. capney

    capney Head Gardener

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    Many, many thanks guys for the answers..
    I shall pop over shortly and remove the offensive specimen.
    I`m really grateful
    Robert
     
    capney, Jun 24, 2010
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  15. capney

    capney Head Gardener

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    The offending item is now removed.
    It was interesting to note that the root took the form of a large tubour about large potato size and took some digging out !
     
    capney, Jun 24, 2010
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