BCSS - Forum

I found this growing all by itself in the bottom of one of my trays, which mainly has Crassulaceae in it and a few cacti. Having grown on a bit, it now appears like nothing I have in that tray.

Can anyone ID it, or even make a suggestion? I suppose it could be a hybrid of some sort.

Perhaps I'll have a clearer idea when it flowers.

Lenophyllum?
If it is, easy to introduce as a single leaf hiding in a pot of something else.

It almost has elements of Lenophyllum, but not quite guttatum.

Sorry Mike you posted that as I was typing!

Yes, no idea of the correct name, but this THING is as bad as Oxalis, and definitely worse than Bryophyllum sp in the glasshouse, and I would recommend urgent removal and eradication. I have found it to be frost hardy in rural Hampshire for at least the last 10 years! DESTROY !!!!

Yes, thoroughly agree with David, it grows on aluminium staging, concrete flooring, anywhere a leaf drops. It's just about indestructible, unaffected by glyphosate sprayed under the staging. Pull a plant out without too much care and it sheds leaves everywhere, the leaves blend in well with top dressing and take some removal if growing at the base of a spiny cactus. I've seen nurseries covered in it! As David said - exterminate.

Stuart

I had Lenophyllum texanum at one time. Under the staging it's a straggly, scruffy looking plant. In full sun, it can make quite an attractive, compact, silver coloured specimen.

The International Crassulaceae Network comments about texanum
Note :
In the greenhouse this plant can become very invasive, and nurseries consider it a pest. Leaves and bracts detach and root easily and produce multitudes of new plantlets.

Despte my positive comment about how it can make an attractive plant, I eventually took exactly the approach suggested by Stuart and David. This involved quite a lot of effort, but I did succeed in eradicating it. That was in a 6' x 8' greenhouse. Multiply the effort involved by whatever size greenhouse it's been allowed to spread around.

MikeT wrote: ↑Fri Jun 18, 2021 7:39 am This involved quite a lot of effort, but I did succeed in eradicating it.

I do appreciate it when "eradicate" is used in line with its etymology, derived from "root out" in Latin.

MikeT wrote: ↑Thu Jun 17, 2021 6:42 pm Lenophyllum?

Yes, I was reminded of that. I have L. guttatum and L. reflexum, and find neither specially easy to grow.

Perhaps it did come in from elsewhere, but I repot plants as I acquire them, so it is unlikely to have come in unnoticed except as a seed. If so - why would it be in the bottom of the tray? I think its more likely a hybrid of a couple of things I already have, and a ripe seed dropped into the tray.

Edited: forget the above, and read on...

David Neville wrote: ↑Thu Jun 17, 2021 8:01 pm Yes, no idea of the correct name, but this THING is as bad as Oxalis, and definitely worse than Bryophyllum sp in the glasshouse, and I would recommend urgent removal and eradication. I have found it to be frost hardy in rural Hampshire for at least the last 10 years! DESTROY !!!!

Gulp. Quarantined, before it can flower. It is in bud...

Yes, seems to be Lenophyllum texanum.

Its problem is that the leaves fall of at the slightest touch.
I think I got them all when removing it.

Thanks for the warning, everyone.