Walking around yesterday, I encountered this flowering plant on the corner of 17th and Q streets. It seems to inconsistently turn red on 
the outsides of some of its older leaves, which looks nice, but is kind of jarring when only a few are doing it.
It adds a very nice splash of colour to the otherwise predominantly green background. The plant is in a well-tended, lush front yard that is absolutely crammed full and in a very high-traffic area. I have much respect for the person/people who maintain these plants, as they all seem generally healthy and happy to be exactly where they are.
Cool Plant Happening
It would not surprise me at all if the people who own the place would rather this plant not grow there: unless I miss my guess, this is a Houttuynia 'Chamaeleon,' which is a hard-core invasive, hated by many. Pretty, I'll grant you. But impossible to eradicate once established, I hear. Also a lot of people object to the smell, though it doesn't smell that bad to me. Sorta fishy, but in a good way. Other people say citrusy. Be interested to hear what it smells like to you.
ReplyDeleteI detected zero smell. Maybe it only smells en mass, or during the day--I just walked by it again less than an hour ago (around 10 PM), sniffed the flowers, rubbed some leaves: nothing.
ReplyDeleteBut then, my nose is pretty mercurial. Sometimes I'll smell something from miles away that no one else notices, other times I can walk through shit without even a hint of a whiff of ick.
I blame it on the ammonia.