Can any DIS'er identify this flower/weed?

[lynxstch]

My stepdaughter is trying to find out what this is. Not sure if a flower or a weed (my guess is weed, but who knows). She is trying to find out if it's safe to feed her daughter's pet turtles. TIA

 

[FlightlessDuck]

FYI, a weed is any plant you don't want. So, if she wants it, it's not a weed

As for what it is, I have an idea, but give me a few minutes...

 

[LovesTimone]

It looks like something in the blue bell family... possibly... with just a glance that would be my guess.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

It's hard to tell without more context. What part of the world is this? If it's the US, what part of the country? How big is the actual flower? What do the leaves look like? Is it just a few large stalks, or is this a super up-close picture of one flower stalk and there are a bunch of small ones?

I mean, I think it's either a Russian sage (salvia):



or a lupine,





It should be noted that turtles are fine with Russian sage, but many types of lupine are poisonous to animals.


but it's really hard to tell without a wider picture and more information.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Google image search thinks it's in the delphinium family (bellflower, larkspur, etc.), which is also toxic.

 

[lynxstch]

It's hard to tell without more context. What part of the world is this? If it's the US, what part of the country? How big is the actual flower? What do the leaves look like? Is it just a few large stalks, or is this a super up-close picture of one flower stalk and there are a bunch of small ones?

I mean, I think it's either a Russian sage (salvia):
View attachment 406154


or a lupine,

View attachment 406155



It should be noted that turtles are fine with Russian sage, but many types of lupine are poisonous to animals.


but it's really hard to tell without a wider picture and more information.

Click on the thumbnail for a larger picture. That's the only way it would let me post it. We are in Western MD, she is just over the line in WV. There are a bunch of them all together, some bigger than others. The only leaves I can see are the ones in the picture I posted. She took it somewhere in or near her yard as far as I know. I know its not salvia as I have that growing in my yard. At least it looks nothing like the salvia I have, lol. And it doesn't look like the picture of lupine that you posted or that I can find. It kind of looks like bluebell, but the flowers don't look like the pictures I could find of it. To me, it looks like a weed, lol! I am just going to tell her to assume that it's poisonous to turtles! Thank you !!

 

[ronandannette]

Google image search think it's in the delphinium family (bellflower, larkspur, etc.), which is also toxic.

I thought delphinium too, although I’ve never seen them growing wild.

 

[MrsCobraBubbles]

I wouldn't feed it, just to be on the safe side. I have aquatic turtles and find it's hard to get answers on the safety of feeding plants that you find outside of the produce aisle at the grocery store. For example, I read that water hyacinth was perfectly safe, so when i put my turtles in my pond last year and they were snacking on it I didn't think twice. Until they started acting weird and lethargic, and I did a little more Googling and found out that some people report issues with the plants. Luckily my little guys were fine, but after that experience I have stuck to feeding them leafy stuff from the grocery store.

Edited to add that the only exception to my new rule about greens is dandelions. As long as they come from a yard free from pesticides they are a great thing to feed; I've offered them to my turtles for years, and my turtles are in their 30s now with no ill-effects from them. I only pull the leaves to feed but I know some people pull and feed the whole plant, and a cute little turtle munching on a pretty dandelion flower makes for a pretty picture

 

[msjprincess]

Like others have said it looks like delphinium, which is toxic to turtles. I wouldn't take a chance.

 

[Deb & Bill]

It also looks little like Hollyhock. Or maybe Butterfly Bush.

 

[kimblebee]

It looks like something in the blue bell family... possibly... with just a glance that would be my guess.

It also looks little like Hollyhock. Or maybe Butterfly Bush.

That was my first thought too, a blue hollyhock

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Upon further review, this is viper's bugloss (Echium vulgare). Don't feed it to a turtle.

 

[lynxstch]

viper's bugloss

That is it! Thank you so much!!!

 

[FlightlessDuck]

That is it! Thank you so much!!!

My wife figured it out

 

[SharonZ]

I don't think it's worth the risk of feeding it to the turtle.