I have this plant popping up all over a shady bed under a magnolia tree. This year is the first time I've ever seen it and I just can't figure out what it is. Even the employees at my local garden center were stumped and they are pretty knowledgeable.

The leaves and stems are fuzzy and there is one leaf at the end of each stem- the stems grow from a central bunch that leads to a taproot. The stems are squarish and the leaves on some are as big as some of my hosta leaves, about 6-ish inches long and maybe 4 inches across.

Any ideas? Hopefully someone has a lead. Thanks!

Is there a chance this could be a Echinacea?

I was remarking on the similarity myself... Or possibly rudbeckia fugida... those leaf measurements were throwing me...

I wonder if they are common violets before the heart shape is prominent?

Here are some more pictures. I am wondering if they are Brunnera Macrophylla. I planted a Brunnera Jack Frost in the same spot as most of these plants are growing. Jack Frost didn't make it, but is it possible it set seed and the seedlings are reversions? All I can think to do now is wait and see if it puts out any flowers, crossing my fingers it isn't something that will take over in the meantime. If it is Brunnera Macrophylla, I think I'd like to keep it.

Could these roots be considered rhizomes?


Front of leaf

wickedelph said:
Could these roots be considered rhizomes?

Nope.
Once you pull something with rhizomes...


Houttuynia cordata

I think that your plants look like echinacea seedlings... probably shouldn't pull them.

echinacea seedlings being nibbled by rodents

There are many different kinds of rhizomes. Iris and Trilliums have rhizomes, too. However it's very unlikely that your seedlings, wickedelph, would develop them. This is what Jack Frost leaves look like. Notice the big difference in the shape of the leaf, especially where the blade meets the leaf stem, and the difference in vein pattern, compared to your suspect plants. Reversions do occur, but what changes is the coloring, not the other characteristics. So it is not a Brunnera.


Something that's been confusing me: you say the leaves are fuzzy, but in all the pics they look shiny and smooth, and both front and backs don't look hairy at all (??????).
Brunnera is very rough-fuzzy, not at all like your pics, either.

For comparison, photo's of Brunnera macrophylla in the ATP Database: Siberian Bugloss (Brunnera macrophylla)

Leftwood said:There are many different kinds of rhizomes. Iris and Trilliums have rhizomes, too.

You're right, I was confusing rhizomes with stolons...

Well, I'm willing to wait and see what comes of these seedlings! The echinacea seedling pictures in the database do look similar to what I have. I certainly wouldn't mind some more echinacea plants. I only have a White Swan and it seems to get smaller and smaller every year.

The leaves and stems are indeed fuzzy. In pictures the leaves do look pretty shiny, but I think it's just a sheen given off the fuzz.

and thank you for all your suggestions! Investigating this mystery has been pretty fun.