Mystery plant -- can you ID?

[GrannyNanny]

This plant popped up last year at the west edge of my woods, and this year there are several clumps -- some near the first, and others on the south side, also at the woods' edge. It has a square stem, leading me to believe it is in the mint family, but there is no scent -- neither minty nor herbal -- in the leaves. It is quite a pretty thing, although it's getting to the end of its bloom time so much of it is gone. Flowers are as seen in the pics; leaves are opposite rather than alternate. One pic shows a small clump with just a small bud, so you can see the leaves and their arrangement. Any thoughts?? Phyllis

[Linda P]

Phyllis, It looks like vervain, in the verbena family. There are several varieties of it that grow wild here in our pasture. They vary from pinkish to very deep blue in color, and there's a white one also.

[viktoria]

Phyllis grows blue vervain, Linda, so she knows it is not that one...unless there is another blue vervain?

Viktoria

[GrannyNanny]

Nope; not vervain -- unless, as Viktoria says, there is more than one. Vervain has branched, candleabra-type flowers, more like Veronicastrum (Culver's Root), while these have a single stalk with flowers growing down from the top in a sort of pyramid shape-- more pointed at the top than Blazing Star, or -- heaven forfend --purple loosestrife!. Anyone else have an idea? Phyllis

[Tigger]

Something salvia-like, but that's such a huge class of mint relatives. But there's no scent? (Even an unpleasant one) Hmmm...

[GrannyNanny]

Nope, no scent except a sort of chlorophylly "green" smell that you'd get with just about any plant leaves. A friend has suggested Eurasian Horsemint, and the pic that was on a website looks somewhat like what I have. However, the flowers on their plant branch out into several spikes, whereas mine have only single spikes of flowers on each stem. I've attached another pic, and also one of the blue vervain, which Linda had suggested. Phyllis

[GrannyNanny]

I think I've ID'd this plant -- from the shape of the spike of flowers, and the shape of each individual floret, I think I have some sort of hybrid or renegade lobelia! I've never seen a pink one, although I've had the Great Blue Lobelia (Lobelia syphilitica) and the red one (Lobelia cardinalis) in the past -- but not at this location, only at my old house. 'Tis a mystery, but take a look at the accompanying photo of the flower stalk and then compare it to a lobelia. Whaddaya think? Phyllis

[Linda P]

Oh, definitely not a vervain! I should have clicked on the pics for a closer look. You may be on to something with the lobelia. Certainly does have the same type of flower habit, but I don't recall ever seeing such one in this color.

[Tigger]

Interesting thought, and that would explain the lack of scent. But I think all lobelias have that distinctive 3-part lower "petal" (landing pad). I looked through the ridiculous list of species in Lamiaceae; we hosta folks have it easy! I was thinking maybe a stachys (like s. palustris) but then Minnesota Wildflowerswebsite showed me Germander (Teucrium canadense).



You might want to compare the stachys to be sure, but I think this is it.

That website looks like a great resource for you northerners!

Happy hunting,
David

[GrannyNanny]

By George, he's got it! (David has, that is) I was just logging on to say that I'd found out what it is, and it is indeed American (or Canadian) Germander, also called Wood Sage. It is really a pretty plant, and although they say it can get invasive it is NOT on the list of invasive species that one is supposed to root out wherever it appears. I'm going to encourage it out in the woods, since it is a lot prettier than whatever else is likely to move into my newly-cleared space now that the buckthorn is gone. Thanks, folks, for going with me on this mystery plant hunt! Phyllis