LITTLE ROCK — Q Can you identify the attached picture?
The bean it produces is over 12 inches long.
Is it edible?
A It is a Jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis). It does produce large beans which are edible, but if you were to compare it with other beans, the quality is not very good. It is an old plant that often selfseeds around old homesites. It is related to kudzu and was often used as an ornamental because of its pretty purple flowers and fast growth. It is not invasive like kudzu but is a tough plant.
Q We have a small dark berry growing on the fence line at our home. The leaves are small and jaggedand the berries are growing in clusterslike a grape. I have tried to find them on the Internet but have had no luck. Are they poisonous? I hope you can help me out. They are plentiful and I would like to make jelly.
A The plant in question is Ampelopsis arborea, commonly called pepper vine. Although it is in the grape family,the fruit is inedible. The plant can be somewhat weedy in its growth habit.
Q I saw this plant that looks a bit like a palm coming out of the ground at a hotel in Aiken, S.C., and I would like to know what it is and if it would do well in the Little Rock area. The climates seem to be comparable.
A It is a cycad commonly called a Sago palm (Cycas revoluta). It has been overwintering in central Arkansas, but it often freezes back to the ground and then starts over in the spring. Last year with all ther ain we had and with the winter colder than normal, we did lose some. Drainage is critical. If you want them to start large each season, then they can be brought inside or into a garage for overwintering.
Q A friend gave me a packet of Indian paintbrush seeds. I started them in my mini greenhouse and they have begun to sprout. All I am seeing is grass growing. Is this correct? Will the actual plant start to grow once the grass takes root? Once the plant itself starts to appear, will I need to remove the grass or do I plant them together? We would like to make the Indian paintbrush a houseplant if that is possible. We live in Philadelphia. Any information you can offer is greatly appreciated.
A Indian paintbrush (Castilleja coccinea) is a great annual wildflower which can reseed itself, but it would not make a great houseplant. Seeding of wildflowers is best done in the fall outdoors. The first seed leaves that emerge on many plants may look grass-like, and once the true leaves begin forming they should begin to look more like the leaves of the adult plant. If it continues to be grassy, you may have some grass seed mixed in with the wildflower seed. Indian paintbrush is considered a wildflower in Pennsylvania as well as Arkansas, so it should work for you outdoors.
HomeStyle, Pages 37 on 09/25/2010