Are you okay Pia? It's alright if you haven't gone to take the photo. We will still love you.

Worried, but still love you...

Pia Good morning, you have got every one waiting in anticipation, rise and shine, the morning is fine.
Reminds me of a candy store and kids getting excited over a lollypop .
Regards,
Arif.

Hello fellow 'photo hungry mob' members! It gives me great pleasure to inform you that I am unharmed however, I am really cold from my expedition down the road! But... as promised, here is the Mystery Bush, and courtesy of the cold weather, some beautiful frost to go with it!






now we gotta work out what it is!

Definitely not an allium.
A big hug for you Pia, for braving the cold. You are so patient and good to us.
Great photos.
I split this thread and will have Trish move it to the Plant ID forum, so we can find out what it is.
The leaves look like a Schefflera, but I didn't know they were frost hardy?

[...This is a massive plant, it must have survived lots of british winters!]

I just requested Trish to move this to the Plant ID forum. We will for sure find out what it is.

Could it be a variety of Castor Bean, Ricinus:


http://www.canstockphoto.com/b...

http://www.google.com/search?q...


***** Edited to add: Well, the leaves sure resembel Ricinus but all I've found is varieties with red flowers so Ricinus is out as a possibility.

That was my first thought as well, looking at the leaves. Bet that's what it is. Some of the photos in that second link aren't red!

Hmmm, but they aren't as symmetrical as that first photo. Darn!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F...
Thank you Lin.
Regards,
Arif.

:agree: it MUST be this one! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F...

That was fun, might have to take some more mystery flower pictures next summer!

We have these all over Seattle and I didn't really know they bloomed (or what they were :P)
Cheers!

Yes Pia it is japonica. With these clear series of photo shots why don't you put them in the database yourself
Regards,
Arif.

Aha ... Fatsia japonica! I remember that being a popular house plant back in the 70's and I used to see it in landscapes in the southern part of Florida but I haven't seen one in years.

http://www.floridata.com/ref/f...

Outstanding! That's it for sure! Ha, "false castor oil plant!" Faked me out! Nice work, Arif!

Yeah!!!!
What a great group we have here. Can't wait to see it in the database Pia.

Fatsia japonica is correct, I rarely get flowers on mine! If it manages to flower, frost usually gets the flowers before many have opened. It did at least survive the very cold winter 2010/11.

Here is a variegated one in my neighborhood - see this several times per week, and now that I think of it, there were small blooms on it last year The photo doesn't show but this is a very large plant in a 40 inch pot - its really lovely!!

This ID forum is like a treasure hunt.
I don't say it enough, a great big thank you to those that ID our plants. You have a true gift.