Saturday 30 April 2011

What is this?

Please help me to identify this plant:


It has long spiky green leaves, like this:


It puts up tall stems with clusters of lots of little white flowers like this:


Jane won this plant for me a few years ago - well before I got interested in blogging and photography - and I cannot for the life of me remember what it is called. I'm sure some of you must also have some of them...

17 comments:

  1. Looks like it may belong to the Genus Acidanthus, but if it is, I'm not sure of the species.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ooo I am placing my bets on Dietes Grandiflora, but seeing as I thought all your seedlings looked pretty parsleyesque to me, I might not be the most reliable of people!

    Dietes is an Australian native I think... I have it growing in my yard.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Looks like a Liriope to me. I have them in my front garden all around the driveway.It is a native to Japan and China and has stemless grasslike leaves. There are ones with spikey flowers and then there are improved forms which this looks like it might be. Also check on Ophiopogon which is similar and used for borders, too.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I think you have a spiderwort hybrid (Tradescantia x something). The original spiderwort has a blue flower, but there are several white varieties. Here's a link to a really good picture of one variety: http://www.flickr.com/photos/azgirl/3612171507/

    ReplyDelete
  5. At first I thought Ali was correct but then I thought Dietes have single flowers .. I think. So I am with Egretta on this one. Let us know when you find out for sure.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Tradescantia fluminensis white-flowere spiderwort
    See here:
    http://www.shirleydenton.com/plants/plant_www.php?uniq=trade_flu

    We have the purple kind here.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'd just call it that spikey leaved plant with the white flowers! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  8. I vote on spiderwort too. I have one with bright yellow green leaves and blue flowers.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I have seen this a lot around here, but I have no idea of the name. I will try asking

    ReplyDelete
  10. I think it is egretta as well. It's my best guess

    ReplyDelete
  11. Pretty! Can't add any more possibilities, as I haven't a clue, sorry!

    ReplyDelete
  12. It looks like a rain lily, we have them in our yard by the bushel.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I saw your comment on Laura's site recently and that reminded me that you still don't have the answer. I am also not sure but suggest you investigate the genus Moraea - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moraea

    ReplyDelete
  14. This isn't a terribly helpful response right now but I will end your agony by the weekend. I have about six of these plants growing in the garden, and only came across your blog as I couldn't remember what they were called either. They grow prodigiously here in Mexico and a trip to the graden center at the weekend will put us both out of our misery.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's Libertia. Thanks for taking the trouble anyway!

      Delete

Thank you for taking time to leave me a comment! Please note that Comment Moderation is enabled for older posts.