RE: Mystery seedling a mystery no longer

David got it in one, I think! Looks like it's Manihot esculenta. Here's a
photo I found online:

http://www.henriettesherbal.com/pictures/p09/pages/manihot-esculenta-1.htm

It'll be interesting to see whether my little seedling survives. Looks like
the base of the stem has started to develop into a tuber or tuberous root,
so maybe that will provide it with the ability to return if it does get too
cold.

Hope spring eternal!

Thanks David!
Cheryl

-----Original Message-----
From: david feix [d*@yahoo.com] 
Sent: Thursday, December 07, 2006 5:17 PM
To: cheryl@wr-architect.com
Subject: Re: Mystery seedling (photo linked)


The foliage on these looks abit like the tropical
Manioc plant to me, although I don't think this plant
usually self seeds under our local conditions, so I
may be wrong about the genus...  If this is manioc, it
will also die back as temps get too cold for it, and
it is not reliably evergreen under northern California conditions.

--- Cheryl Renshaw <cheryl@wr-architect.com> wrote:

> Hi everyone,
> 
> I was in the abandoned back yard of a plant lover
> today, and came across
> some seedlings of a mysterious plant. It has
> alternate palmate leaves with a
> fascinating lobing pattern. I've scanned a leaf and
> a seedling for you to
> look at, and have planted another seedling in a pot
> to see what results, but
> I'd love to know what I've brought home.
> 
> It seems clear that whatever it is it will self
> seed, but the seedlings
> appear to be limited to a small area and it may not
> be too rampant. I'm
> stumped and curious!
> 
> Here's the link: http://www.wr-architect.com/temp/MysteryPlant-sm.jpg
> 
> Thanks for your help in identifying this.
> 
> The same back yard has a pair of puzzling trees that
> are clearly frost
> tender (the leaves died back when the overnight
> temperatures dipped into the
> 40sF) but have also clearly survived at least a few
> years of regular winter
> weather here. I'll post images of those plants when
> I get access to fresh
> material next year. Flowers were similar to a
> myoporum and seedpods were
> somewhat like a pittosporum but with 6 segments.
> Leaves were pinnate, I
> think. The two trees are about 10-15' tall (2-3
> meters).
> 
> Thanks again,
> 
> Cheryl
> 
> ----------
> Cheryl Renshaw
> Santa Clara, California
> 
>
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