# What is this plant? (crabgrass?) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 22, 2013, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-plant-crabgrass/656375 "2013-04-22T02:50:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![retterath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/919ad9/32.png) [@retterath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/retterath)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-plant-crabgrass/656375/1 "2013-04-22T02:50:22Z")
I have a bunch of this growing in lava rock beside the house. I assumed it was crabgrass, untill I started pulling it out, and noticed the flowers (white and blue) and the bulb-like structure. Southwest Washington state. It is pretty shallow growing, above the weedshield. There is nothing planted here, aside from the boxwood (blech). Sorry about the photos. Imageshack and photobucket are not cooperating tonight. Seems to be more important for the ads to load than my pics. [http://i1348.photobucket.com/albums/p725/shit541/SDC13830\_zps178bbd5c.jpg](http://s1348.photobucket.com/user/shit541/media/SDC13830_zps178bbd5c.jpg.html) [http://i1348.photobucket.com/albums/p725/shit541/SDC13832\_zps54b8177e.jpg](http://s1348.photobucket.com/user/shit541/media/SDC13832_zps54b8177e.jpg.html) [http://i1348.photobucket.com/albums/p725/shit541/SDC13834\_zps5e5653a8.jpg](http://s1348.photobucket.com/user/shit541/media/SDC13834_zps5e5653a8.jpg.html) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-plant-crabgrass/656375/2 "2013-04-22T03:01:11Z")
[My first thought was Lilly of the Valley.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lily_of_the_Valley) ---
**Author:** ![Big\_Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/51bf81/32.png) [@Big\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Big_Blue)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-plant-crabgrass/656375/3 "2013-04-22T03:06:17Z")
HI there. Just a guess, but the first and last picture could be Hyacinthoides non-scripta. Mine a fuller (more flowers) but are very mature clumps. Maybe these are immature plants. The middle picture (the purple flower) looks different. Is it the same plant for sure? Perhaps there was an old spring bulb bed there before the rocks and there are different cultivars there. If they are bluebells, they are very hardy and come up everywhere for me, and I have transplanted them multiple times and put them thru hell. They are pretty though. Mine are ready to bloom. > **[Hyacinthoides non-scripta](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyacinthoides_non-scripta)** > > Hyacinthoides non-scripta /ˌhaɪəsɪnˈθɔɪdiːz nɒnˈskrɪptə/ (formerly Endymion non-scriptus or Scilla non-scripta) is a bulbous perennial plant, found in Atlantic areas from north-western Spain to the British Isles, and also frequently used as a garden plant. It is known in English as the common bluebell or simply bluebell, a name which is used in Scotland to refer to the harebell, Campanula rotundifolia. In spring, H. non-scripta produces a nodding, one-sided inflorescence of 5–12 tubular, sweet-... Well, that is my guess. Hopefully a botanist will come by soon! ---
**Author:** ![Big\_Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/51bf81/32.png) [@Big\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Big_Blue)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-plant-crabgrass/656375/4 "2013-04-22T03:08:38Z")
Lily of the Valley has a much broader leaf. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-plant-crabgrass/656375/5 "2013-04-22T03:11:53Z")
Is it warm where you live? I have a crabgrass infestation and it’s all totally dormant right now, in Ohio. [This article](http://www.uri.edu/ce/factsheets/sheets/crabgrass.html)says it doesn’t start to germinate until the soil is 60 degrees. ---
**Author:** ![retterath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/919ad9/32.png) [@retterath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/retterath)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-plant-crabgrass/656375/6 "2013-04-22T03:28:25Z")
Not warm yet. Might barely break 60 degrees F. Maybe I should have asked \*before \*I hit them with the Roundup. ---
**Author:** ![applebetty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4af34b/32.png) [@applebetty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/applebetty)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-plant-crabgrass/656375/7 "2013-04-23T01:20:17Z")
Did you taste the bulb? It looks similar to the wild garlic/onion in my yard. ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-plant-crabgrass/656375/8 "2013-04-23T11:44:18Z")
> [@applebetty](#): > > Did you taste the bulb? It looks similar to the wild garlic/onion in my yard. :eek: Uh, I’d pretty much avoid that step. I don’t think tasting unknown plants is a recommended identification procedure. ---
**Author:** ![Big\_Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/51bf81/32.png) [@Big\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Big_Blue)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-plant-crabgrass/656375/9 "2013-04-23T12:36:39Z")
I think any type of wild onion would have leaves that are round, not flat. I think you mean something like "star of bethlehem, perhaps. Some Allium (wild garlic) has a broad leaf, but the flower is different than the op’s flower. > **[White Flower Farm](https://www.whiteflowerfarm.com/)** > > White Flower Farm is the premier American source for plants, shrubs, bulbs, and gardening supplies delivered from our nursery to your home. The wild allium in my garden always blooms in the summer, sometimes later, but the bluebells are just ready to pop in a few/couple days. The allium are showing no signs yet. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-plant-crabgrass/656375/10 "2013-04-23T12:51:28Z")
> [@Turek](#): > > :eek: > Uh, I’d pretty much avoid that step. I don’t think tasting unknown plants is a recommended identification procedure. Especially after applying RoundUp. 😛 Fortunately garlic/onion relatives have a pretty distinct smell that you can notice by smelling the leaves, perhaps rubbing/crushing them if need be. ---
**Author:** ![FluffyBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecb155/32.png) [@FluffyBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FluffyBob)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-plant-crabgrass/656375/11 "2013-04-23T14:52:22Z")
Looks like [Lily](https://www.google.ca/search?q=allium&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a#hl=en&gs_rn=11&gs_ri=psy-ab&tok=gg3V9Y6_iYGS64NZS-UfYw&suggest=p&pq=lilly%20family&cp=4&gs_id=27n&xhr=t&q=lily+family&es_nrs=true&pf=p&client=firefox-a&hs=6zf&rls=org.mozilla:en-US%3Aofficial&sclient=psy-ab&oq=lily+family&gs_l=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_cp.r_qf.&bvm=bv.45580626,d.cGE&fp=f0e83135481ad1d&biw=1417&bih=731&bs=1) family. [Allium](https://www.google.ca/search?q=allium&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a) family has a very different flower ---
**Author:** ![FluffyBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecb155/32.png) [@FluffyBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FluffyBob)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-plant-crabgrass/656375/12 "2013-04-23T15:00:44Z")
> [@applebetty](#): > > Did you taste the bulb? It looks similar to the wild garlic/onion in my yard. Good lord. It also looks similar to Death Camus. The name is a hint. Lots of poisonous plants out there. Most are just unpleasant effects but small amounts of some plants can leave you with permanent damage or kill you. Do you lick porcupines? ---
**Author:** ![Monstera\_deliciosa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monstera_deliciosa/32/109_2.png) [@Monstera\_deliciosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstera_deliciosa)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-plant-crabgrass/656375/13 "2013-04-23T17:48:39Z")
Perhaps some species of _Ophiopogon_, aka mondo grass? ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-plant-crabgrass/656375/14 "2013-04-23T18:18:22Z")
> [@Big\_Blue](#): > > HI there. Just a guess, but the first and last picture could be Hyacinthoides non-scripta. Mine a fuller (more flowers) but are very mature clumps. Maybe these are immature plants. > The middle picture (the purple flower) looks different. Is it the same plant for sure? > > Perhaps there was an old spring bulb bed there before the rocks and there are different cultivars there. > > If they are bluebells, they are very hardy and come up everywhere for me, and I have transplanted them multiple times and put them thru hell. They are pretty though. Mine are ready to bloom. > > [Hyacinthoides non-scripta - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyacinthoides_non-scripta) > > Well, that is my guess. Hopefully a botanist will come by soon! My gardening experience and the pictures make me think you may be on to something here. At the least, it is probably in the same family. ---
**Author:** ![retterath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/919ad9/32.png) [@retterath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/retterath)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-plant-crabgrass/656375/15 "2013-04-23T18:47:11Z")
I crushed one and gave it a sniff, nothing. I did notice some Hyacinth like plants growing in the cracks in the driveway. Same green bits, but different flowers. I think I’ll just live and let live here for a while. Except for the horsetails. They gotta go.