Do you ever feel like you are being used? Sorry my friends, but you are all so SMART, I just know that at least one of you will be able to identify this plant for me! (NOTE- Plant has been identified for me by Kristi from thickethouse. Thanks, Kristi!) My brother gave us this plant last year and we have no idea what it is. (He is not sure of it either. He says that it is a cutting from a plant that we gave him! If so, we gave him a plant that we must have liked the look of without knowing of its name!)
Anyway, the photo above was from May of last year, of the flower in bloom and the following is from this year...
The plant has leaves kind of like...well, I would say like an iris. (I wouldn't say it is an iris, it is just that the leaves remind me of my Dutch iris.) The buds are pictured above and when you see them in the morning like this, by lunchtime, they bloom into ....
THIS beautiful flower! It is creamy white with the most exquisite blue and brown center and look at the middle part, like three small crosses connected at the base of each cross. It has a delicate fragrance that is lovely. Ah, if only I could make it into perfume!
I appreciate your help!
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And you can take the man out of England but you can tell by our flowers, you can't take England out of the man! We have our English garden on our front steps! And these are early days, wait until the summer, flowers will be blooming from all corners!
Chives in bloom! That colour! (There, I spelled it the English way.)
It looks like a wild orchid, but not sure. It's pretty, though.
ReplyDeleteIt does remind you of an orchid flower, doesn't it? We love it, it was so unexpected, we didn't know it would bloom.
DeleteSorry! I'm of no help to you. I'm totally useless! I have no idea what that plant is, other than the bloom is beautiful. :)
ReplyDeleteNo worries, Lee! We don't have to know the name to enjoy the beauty of it!
DeleteI would say it's some kind of orchid too though what specifically it might be, I have no idea.
ReplyDeleteIf you see this flower somewhere now, you will think of me! :-)
DeleteIt's beautiful, and that is what matters most :-)
ReplyDeleteBotanically, I guess it could be related to either irises or orchids... or lilies. The "closed" flower reminds me of that, too.
Jesus was so very right when told his followers to look at the lilies on the fields, that not even King Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these!
The inside of the flower looks as if three tiny brown-speckled moths were sitting in it, their heads pointing to the centre.
You know where you see the three moths? They look more like brown hearts to me! :-)
DeleteOH! And I just scrolled down and it looks like Kristi got it right!! It is an Apostle Plant! So, your comment here saying that Jesus got it right, is very appropriate!
Apparently, it is called the Apostle Plant because it will flower when it has 12 leaves (Like the 12 Apostles) and the flower is meant to represent Jesus. Makes sense with the three crosses also.
It does look like an iris, and particularly like some of the Japanese irises.
ReplyDeleteLove your garden.
Thank you! And I am so happy to see your comment here! :-)
DeleteI can only agree that it does look rather like an iris although not any of the ones I have seen cultivated. I hope someone can identify it. Perhaps the American Iris Society can help.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Graham! I now know that is an Apostle Plant or a Walking Iris (Neomarica)! I know this because Kristi told me so in the comment below! (She is Thickethouse).
DeleteYAY! Happy to know the name of this gorgeous plant.
I have no idea what that is - but it's pretty.
ReplyDeleteIt is a small bloom (it looks larger in the photo) but it is pretty.
DeleteI think your flower is a trillium, which is the state flower of Ontario, Canada, where my daughter lives. She introduced me to them, and has a few growing in her garden. Hope this helps :)
ReplyDeleteI looked up the state flower of Ontario, Canada and it is a lovely trillium. We have trilliums here too, they grow as wildflowers at our local monadnocks-Stone Mountain, Arabia Mountain and Panola Mountain!
DeleteThey are so pretty, as are the chives, i had no idea their blossoms were so lovely!
ReplyDeleteYou should grow chives, you would enjoy eating them and seeing the blossoms!
DeleteIt's Neomarica or Apostle Plant. Very beautiful. It would not live outside here in Ohio. You can google it. Sometimes it's called Walking Iris....You are so lucky to have this! I had one once as a house plant.
ReplyDeleteThat's IT! I can't thank you enough for telling me this! Apparently, it is not that common so I am pleased to have it and to know its name! We have this in a pot and put in our garage during the winter. Luckily, it survived this winter.
DeleteKristi, I appreciate you giving me this plant ID!
I'm so glad Thickethouse identified it. As you know, I hate a mystery and would have been required to spend ages on it for you!! Not that doing it for you is any hardship if I succeed but if I fail it's so frustrating.
DeleteYou are so good at helping me in the natural world! I always think of you when I see a beech tree or our buckeye butterfly! 😊
DeleteWhat a beautiful flower ! I'm glad one of your readers was able to identify it for you. Our Irises are not blooming here yet. Yours are delightful!
ReplyDeleteYes! Kristi from Thickethouse identified it for me! I meant to say...those Dutch irises are also from my brother, he grew them from seed and gave the plants to us many years ago and we planted them. They come up every year, I love perennials!
DeleteThe flower looks like a variation of Trillium, but the plant does not.
ReplyDeleteYou are correct, the plant is more like an iris. It is called an Apostle plant or walking iris! So interesting! So pleased to know its name!
DeleteThat was my immediate reaction as well, Lisa. Great minds think alike, even if they are wrong.
DeleteAll the great minds read this blog! And I am grateful.
DeletePretty plants and flowers. Love your front porch.
ReplyDeleteIt's only a little front porch and we have crammed full with plants! :-) Also, check out our giant steps, I am getting older, those steps get steeper and steeper! LOL.
Deletelooks like a type of flag iris
ReplyDeleteThe flower is really very small, my photo makes it look big!
DeleteHi Kay! Thanks for dropping by my place today. Dutch iris, huh. I have those all over my yard here in Tampa. Wish they bloomed more often, and didn't strangle out my yellow irises, which bloom all year, every day. Not as gorgeous, but strong willed.
ReplyDeleteOh, you have it warmer in Florida than we do in Georgia. I am afraid our Apostle Plant will have to stay in its pot and live in the garage in the winter!
DeleteYour yellow irises sound good to me! If you have any you want to get rid of, send them to your neighboring state to the north! Mmmm...not gorgeous but strong willed, that could describe me! LOL. OH! You have signed up to be a follower, thank you!
I love the 'colour' of your flowers ;) I wish I knew the one you asked about. It truly is gorgeous but one I have never seen before. Trillium came to mind but it's not is it? Hope someone can identify it for you. Best of luck!
ReplyDeleteYes, British Gal, I knew you would like "colour" too! x
DeleteAnd I now know it is an Apostle plant or walking iris, so pleased to learn this fact!
Oh those are just gorgeous flowers. I didn't know what it was but oh- how lovely it is! My grandfather came from England and he, too, loved his plants round the homestead. Hope you are having a wonderful week so far- xo Diana
ReplyDeleteHello Diana! So happy to see your comment here! Just look at the perfect design of that exquisite flower, it should bring you joy! Just think, you might be related to my English husband! Let's have a reunion, YOU bring all the food! LOL
DeleteSorry no idea about your mystery flower although I see you have had an identification so that is good. It is beautiful isn't it!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Amy! Yes, Kristi told me it is Neomarica or an Apostle Plant and she is absolutely correct! I am so happy to know it!
DeleteThe flower does have some iris characteristics. I have no idea what it is but of course I am not the one to ask. I do thank you for sharing the picture. It is so pretty.
ReplyDeleteGlad you like this flower too!
DeleteHope you find out! If I were guessing, I'd say it looks like a cross between an iris and an orchid. Whatever it is, it certainly is lovely. Say, there must be some Georgia bloggers near you! =D
ReplyDeleteThanks, Vee! It was actually one of my blogging friends from Ohio who identified it for me and I am thankful!
DeleteYour garden and plants are beautiful! I love your Dutch irises. My mom always grew irises and they are probably the first plant I learned to recognize(aside from dandelions Haha!) Thickethouse has done well to identify your mystery plant!
ReplyDeleteOH yes, Kristi from Thickethouse gave me the info and I am so tickled! My mystery plant is no longer a mystery to me!
DeleteMy wife also thinks it is in the orchid family.
ReplyDeleteIt very much reminds you of an orchid, doesn't it? It is Neomarica, and it is lovely! :-) Let me know if you ever see one yourself!
DeleteThat is a lovely plant. I'm glad someone else was able to tell you what it was because I had absolutely no idea.
ReplyDeleteThanks mark! Now,go make me an omelette! Lol!
DeleteOhhhh.... no kidding? An apostle plant. We have those in our backyard and I never knew what they were. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteSo tickled that you learned its name here! Have you smelled it? It has a gorgeous light fragrance.
DeleteI've never seen this plant before - I had to come over here and see after reading about your post on Kristi's blog. :-) It is beautiful and so unusual! I don't suppose I will try to grow it here -- unless someone gives me a cutting!
ReplyDeleteVery happy that you like this plant too! I was very pleased to learn the name of it after writing this post! My blogging friends are the best!
DeleteThanks for your visit, stop by anytime! :-)