I’d assumed it was a tree of some sort, but not one I’m familiar with. It’s only a few feet tall so far but some of the leaves are as big as seven inches accross. If anyone knows what it is please let me know eh?
No dear, the second one is not an Elder.
Look at it’s leaves.
“Fairly slow” compared to what?
Using Elders as an example, mine grow about 12 feet during the first couple months of spring. This (and the dryad inside) makes its wood good for not much more than whistles and magic wands.
Not knowing where you live/the climate where you live shorts us some vital clues.
If you say its a tree, based on my experience with the botany around Chicago my first guess is some sort of Catalpa. Catalpas have fairly large leaves like that only not as rough around the edges. They also grow rather quickly.
Btw, it looks like you have a bit of other medicine growing in your lawn as well.
The first one is not elder, as your specimen has simple leaves only. The second one is not sloe. The first one looks a bit like a sapling of lime, but that’s a long shot. Heaven knows what the second one is!
Hi again. Sorry I forgot to mention; I’m in Suffolk, south and eastern part of England.
I’m sorry about the blurriness of the second photo…I’m not a good photographer.
I didn’t know we were talking about England. Saplings or suckers of trees frequently have atypical leaves, but there are several species of lime and it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that that’s what you have there. Or a poplar even. The second could be a cultivated plant of some sort, but your photo is tantalisingly lacking in detail!
I’m wondering if you have a whole load of Bay trees in your garden. Are the leaves aromatic when crushed? The female tree (or shrub) produces berries like the ones in your pics. Is it evergreen?
Good thing you mentioned your location. If you were here, I’d say the first was a toxic and the second poisonous . . . and recommend removing them immediately wearing a stout pair of leather gloves covered with trash bags, strict avoidance of contact with the sap or fumes, and, for God’s sake, don’t burn or compost them.
Oh come on now, what’s a little poison among friends?
THat reminds me; While biking a trail with my daughters we stopped to eat some raspberries. A young couple were jogging past and the girl said, “They’re eating poisonous berries.” in a tone of superior self assurance. My youngest daughter had a fine, stinging retort but I can’t remember it well enough to quote.
Heh, no poison oak around here that I know of Lambchop.
Steve, the leaves don’t seem to be aromatic, and I don’t think it’s evergreen either. Rather dissappointing actually; was getting ready to announce beef stew at my place.
Good heavens Lambchop!
What did YOU think they are?
Also, you’re saying there’s a difference where you live between an herb being toxic and an herb being poisonous
or were you just wording it cute?
Myself, I’m not much of a botanist but I can recognise quite a few herbs that grow locally as food and/or medicine.
I was going to take a botany course this semester but one of the acupuncturists I study with lined up someone to teach a biochem of herbal constituents course.
Sometimes its just better to teach children not to try to eat the vegetation. There’s quite a bit out there that can be poisonous at various stages of its developement or if not prepared properly.
Its a pity when children grow up and don’t realize they were told things were poisonous just because they were too young to recognise the difference.
But then, even qualified herbalists goof up sometimes and trash out their liver, kidneys, or/et cetera.
I’ve yet to have met a big name herbalist who doesn’t have an “I did a very stupid thing once” story.
I know one person who was very popular nationally for teaching classes on how to forage for food who swore off teaching for a year or so after a meal they’d taught a class to prepare left 20 participants barfing up their guts in the parking lot.
