Hopeful Spontaneous monster

brilliantbotany:

willamettevalleygirl:

Can anyone tell me what kind of plant this is? My kids call it the “Jurassic Plant” because it’s so huge and weird. It has little spikes all over it, a large and odd flower and the new leaves look like hands of the undead unfurling from the grave. It’s found in Hendricks Park in Eugene, Oregon.

Unfortunately, my expertise is mostly in common plants in New England, so this is totally out of my league. Does anyone know what this plant is? willamettevalleygirl would like to know!

It’s a Gunnera - they’re used a fair bit in landscaping in the Pacific NW, they like to be fairly damp, & the leaves die off in winter. Don’t know much about them other than that. =)

(via brilliantbotany)