Ever have “one of those weeks”? I had two concurrent internet problems that were confounding troubleshooting and repairs, so I was incommunicado for several days. Sorry, folks! Here’s our belated FF submissions:
We have a lovely submission from Diane M – her “Monster Mummies” are taking over her front flower bed!
Monster Mummies!
Linda has her own private mystery in her garden. She writes: I have a plant that I have no idea what it is. I planted it about 3 years ago…loved the foliage, but, it never bloomed until this year. I’m hoping someone can tell me what it is? Anyone Know? I’m adding an early Summer photo with just foliage and one from this week when it began to bloom. It’s bloom looks alot like the Firetail, Bistort Mountain Fleece flower that Frank added as a Mystery Plant. However, the foliage it nothing alike…it doesn’t mean it can’t be related though.
Linda’s own personal “mystery plant!’
mystery plant – earlier this summer
Can we give Linda any help identifying her plant?
Monroe County Master Gardener Association 
Lovely photos!
The mystery plant looks like it could be some variety of Actaea (a.k.a. white baneberry and a bunch of other names):
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=ACPA
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/646/
After checking the sites, I do believe you’re right. Thank you Holly. I did a GoodSearch and found other photos that looked identical. It is a beautiful plant. The foliage dies off this time of year and turns a bit brown on edges, but it’s been beautiful through the summer months. I purchased it for the foliage. I really didn’t know what a bloom would be like. I’m very pleased though.
I think Holly is onto something here – it does appear to be a member of the Ranunculaceae family, which generally sport buttercup type flowers. I disagree as to the genus, however.
The plant appears to be Trauvetteria carolinensis or False Bugbane – which is also in this same family.
This plant is a common perennial in the eastern US – has large basal leaves and showy, fragrant, bottlebrush white summer flowers arranged in terminal racemes on long stems. If you enlarge the first photo, you will see the pearl-like or buttercup sepals alongside the opened bottlebrush stamens on the poker like stems.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/63884374@N08/6161770262/
http://www.pbase.com/vatrekker/image/129299432
http://www.lexic.us/definition-of/false_bugbane ( click on “False Bugbane Images” and scroll to page 9.)
My first thought was Penstemon digitalis, because of the Bistort like flowers – but the leaves are wrong – elliptic, oblong and spear shaped. My second choice was Phlox paniculata, as I was trying to focus on the unopened flowers – but the flower clusters and leaf shapes were also quite different. The third possibility was Vertratum album, White Hellebore – but the leaves were larger and the flower racemes are in terminal clusters rather than a spike.
The buttercup shaped flowers I think are the clues that Holly also zeroed in on. Her choice, Actaea pachypoda, Elliot White Baneberry, has one characteristic that might give the definitive I.D…pea-sized white berries on red stems in late summer. These berries are called “doll eyes” because of the dark purple spot in the middle where the stigma used to be. These berries are POISONOUS! Actaea simplex,White Pearl Bugbane (mobot # a260) has slightly longer wavy flower spikes and more leathery leaves – and is also a very attractive plant.
Linda: could you post a fall photo?
http://www.missouribotanicalgardens.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/plant-finder/plant-details/kc/h520/actaea-pachypoda.aspx ( good photo of leaves and general information)
Sorry about the overly long comment. I included my “thinking” to show some of the steps you should be following – classifying the leaves and describing the flowers, etc – that will give you some clues. Holly’s USDA site has an excellent data base and is a good place to start.
Maybe next year, if there is sufficient interest and our software will allow – we could set up a forum to answer questions like this?
Frank.