What's a 2m "beanstalk" doing in my veggie garden? (forum)

<J><M> starts with ...
Hi all,
My wife planted a hole lot of veggies in our raised garden beds and this "thing" grew along too. It does not correspond to any of the seeds we have, so we are curious how this substantial plant emerged amongst our veggies.
We left it to grow, to see what becomes of it,a nd it produces clusters of small yellow balls. It is now 18 months old and over 2m tall (see attached photos).
Does anyone recognise this plant?
Thanks,
Jonathan.

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Picture: 2

Time: 13th March 2012 7:50pm

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About the Author JM1
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MaryT says...
WOW ; can't say I can ID it but it reminds me of a noxious weed I might have seen somewhere... wish I can be more helpful but I really don't like the look of it...

Time: 13th March 2012 8:02pm

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About the Author MaryT
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Mike says...
It looks a lot like a wild tobacco (Solanum mauritianum).

Time: 13th March 2012 8:05pm

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MaryT says...
I thought Solanum too Mike but have not been able to find it on google.

Time: 13th March 2012 8:11pm

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BJ says...
yah, wild tobacco. They pop up quick anywhere there is an opportunity and are a nightmare in horse paddocks.

Time: 13th March 2012 8:21pm

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About the Author Theposterformerlyknownas
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Mike says...
Jonathan if it is wild tobacco it would be a good idea to get rid of it fast before it seeds.The Atherton Tableland has big infestations of it.

Time: 13th March 2012 8:23pm

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<J><M> says...
Pfffewww!!!
I read a bit about it and found photos and it is definitely wild tobacco.
Throughout summer we've allowed all the fruit to fall freely to the ground, I suspect it will show its furry face again - does anyone know what we can expect? Hopefully not a complete infestation...
Obviously we are taking it out ASAP.
Thanks everyone for the quick ID.
Jonathan.


Time: 13th March 2012 9:34pm

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BJ says...
You'll get heaps of them. Just keep pulling them up and you'll get rid of them in a season. The problem is mostly with larger properties.

Time: 13th March 2012 9:39pm

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denise says...
Wild tobacco became a problem somewhere in PNG. Some nationals were given the job of cutting them out and many of them developed severe respiratory problems because of the dusty stuff from the whole plant. Put a mask on and cut it out,

Time: 14th March 2012 7:02am

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Brendan says...
Jonathan, why not harvest it, dry it and sell it? (as chop-chop).

Time: 14th March 2012 9:20am

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About the Author Brendan
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<J><M> says...
Thanks Denise, I read a bit more about the respiratory issues. Interestingly my son was diagnosed with asthma during the existence of this beanstalk, though it may be coincidental. I will definitely use a mask.

I suppose that's what we're dealt, and we just have to persist. The big job will be getting the beanstalk out, the trunk is massive. Afterwards, we'll just keep an eye for them until they (hopefully) stop popping up.

Thanks everyone for the useful advice,
Jonathan.


Time: 14th March 2012 9:24am

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<J><M> says...
Hey Brendan, if you see a business opportunity here, you are welcome to come around and pull it out yourself ;-)
(consider Denise's comments, though).


Time: 14th March 2012 9:26am

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Brendan says...
No, not really Jonathan, it grows around here as well. It was just a thought :-)

Time: 14th March 2012 9:34am

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Gus says...
You could graft an eggplant onto it and have an eggplant tree?

Time: 14th March 2012 10:03pm

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denise says...
Years ago NZ govt scientists tested woolly nightshade as rootstock for tamarillo and discovered that it causes dangerous levels of alkaloids etc in the tamarillo fruit. There is absolutely no good reason to keep the plant unless you want it to start invading the whole neighbourhood and then it will be very difficult to control.

Time: 15th March 2012 6:25am

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John Mc says...
They're still using it here, the one on the left is the rootstock of a Red Tamarillow with the graft removed and the rootstock allowed to grow on. Grafted Red Tamarillow obviously on the right.
I did this to find out what the propagators are using for rootstocks of Tamarillows. I wanted to propagate the rootstock to use for other solanum's like Eggplants and tomatoes.
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Time: 15th March 2012 7:04am

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denise says...
I used to have a specific rootstock for eggplants, forgotten details but keep looking and you may find it. I used Solanum avicularis or S. laciniatum as rootstocks for tamarillos and it worked fine. At least for a couple of years. Ozzie name is kangaroo apple I think. Once for a joke I grafted a small casana seedling 2 meters up on a tamarillo trunk before it branched. It proceeded to grow nearly another 2 meters of trunk before branching out. I wonder what would happen if I kept grafting juveniles alternately every 2m -how high would it go?.

Time: 15th March 2012 12:31pm

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Gus says...
Are there any common plants that you may be able to buy and use as eggplant rootstocks?
Here in Perth i can't seem to find any of these solanums that seem to grow wild over east.

Time: 16th March 2012 1:25am

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About the Author gus
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Phil@Tyalgum says...
Denise do you ever have casana seeds available - they are very hard to source here, have been after some for years. Happy to pay/swap with anything you might have on your wish list.

Time: 16th March 2012 4:58am

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denise says...
Plants are seldom on the market in NZ. If I come accross seeds I will send some.

Time: 16th March 2012 6:28am

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John Mc says...
Also looking for some as well Phil. I know of a member who may have a plant, but I don't wan't to dob her/him in just yet. They can be propagating by cutting very easily.
Do you have a similar, Cocona Phil? Might be able to arrange one if you don't.

Time: 16th March 2012 8:54am

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Phil@Tyalgum says...
Hey thanks Denise and John, would love to add either plant to my collection.

Time: 16th March 2012 6:16pm

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John Mc says...
Sure Phil, I have a nice little struck cutting here ready to go. You'll have to send me your addy again, I had a puter crash since last corro.

johnatcentralcoastskylightsdotcomdotau

Time: 16th March 2012 7:16pm

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Nick says...
Hi John, these plants sound very interesting, do you have any cuttings to spare? :)

Time: 16th March 2012 7:45pm

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About the Author Nick T
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John Mc says...
Sure Nick, I did two to see how they went and both struck well, as if I expected anything else?
My email addy is above if you want to contact me, and I'll get it away next Mon. Looks like I might have to do a couple more.

Time: 16th March 2012 8:00pm

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