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Please can you name this pretty intruder?
Q This unusual plant has appeared in my daughter’s garden. She is sure she didn’t plant it. Can you tell us what it is?
Mrs M. Judge, Kelvedon, Essex
A This is a shoo-fly plant, also known as ‘apple of Peru’, ‘apple of Sodom’ and ‘Peruvian bluebell’.
The Latin name is Nicandra physalodes. It is a member of the Solanaceae or potato family and is a native of South America. It owes its common name to the belief that it is resistant to whitefly and protects other plants nearby from the same pest.
It is an annual that is sometimes grown from seed a decorative addition to the garden, but it can pop up unexpectedly, particularly around bird feeders as it is found in birdseed mixes.
The short-lived flowers open for only a few hours
