There's an old adage that might help; it goes something like "pull it out; if it grows back, it's a weed."

I don't know of a web site that shows seedlings or young perennials, but it's a great idea. I'd like to find one for young insects, too; I almost wiped out a colony of lady bugs one year, because the nymphs, or whatever they're called when immature, looked so scary.

If we can't come up with a site, you have a couple of options. If you know what "should" be coming up, make a list and google the plant names one by one (and look under images, not under web). Try using a word like emerging or seedling or young with the name to cut down on the flower photos.

If you're not sure what should be coming up, post some close-up photos of what you see, here or over on the 'name that plant' forum, and we'll see what we can identify.

My foxgloves are very bright, light green, crinkled rosettes at this stage, sometimes with a few larger, old brown leaves attached. I can't think of a weed that mimics that, offhand, but I'm sure there is one (or a dozen). Those are the biennials, not the shorter yellow perennial type, which don't have crinkles.

I found one website that had photos of lots of seedlings, but still can't identify the weed-or-perennial in my garden. The photos in the website are of true seedlings, those tender first sprouts from seeds, whereas my mystery plant is a 2nd-year rosette, or older, and has larger tougher leaves. But the website might be handy to others.

Your description of the leaf surface as "crinkled" is a good clue that my plants are not digitalis. Now I remember that light green and that slightly alligatored surface texture. Thanks.

Carol

Here is a link that might be useful: The Seed Site

Could you have a mullein of some sort?

mullein rosette - Google images

Claire

If nobody comes up with an existing site that shows emerging perennials, maybe we should start one. We could use the gallery on the perennials forum, or one of our blogspot sites, or create a shared picasa web album of some sort.

To littleonefb -- Thanks so much! The pics were just what I needed!

This foxglove appeared on our property out of the blue -- one day in late Fall I just looked up and saw this huge plant, even with several babies growing from head (much the way African violets grow little shoot plantlets) and even a new one about 7" away growing from underground shoot. I had some time trying to figure out what it was. One of the gardening people around here suggested it might be foxglove, but I couldn't find any pics of the foliage; just the flower stalk.

I'm in NC mountains and I knew it was no weed -- it was beautifully formed rosette plant with the neat leaves w/ very defined patterning. We're in Zone 5a or 5b -- It usually gets pretty cold here so I just potted it using mostly soil it was growing in and some commercial potting soil to fill pot. Tried to plant the little plantlets -- that didn't work but the original plant has done pretty well, although I think I noticed some aphids -- perhaps brought in with other plants. I'm usually very careful and isolate new plants and spray well w/ insecticidal soap before adding to my "garden room."

I sprayed the plant well and the plant seem to grow from the crown all over again. Some of the outer leaves turned brown and I removed them but the other day noticed the aphids again on outer leaf. I'm afraid of them getting into crown and killing the plant so must get some more solution.

SO glad to know it's foxglove and that it is poisonous. I plan to replant it outside soon because it turns out we've had unbelievably mild winter with little snow or frosts. But I have to figure out where to put it because we have a young very rambunctious puppy who loves to explore and I don't want her tramping on it or chomping on it and getting really sick.

Thanks so much. Hopefully this year I'll be treated to the beautiful flowers!

Dogs are pretty smart - I've never had one eat a poisonous plant. A puppy almost killed himself playing with a 'fuzzy bear' caterpillar a few years ago, but really, they've got good instincts when it comes to plants.

Foxgloves are practically weeds here in zone 7 - they sprout all over the place, and I pretty much leave them where they choose to grow. Sadly, this is often in the front of the beds, but it gives the garden an informal air that I like.