Grow your name plant

[waiglet]

Has anyone come across these plants the promise to "grow your name"? You can buy them in tacky souvenir shops and card shops and the premise is you choose your name from the stand and when the plant grows your name magically appears on the leaves. They usually have one on display � almost always bearing the name Emma.

I have two questions about these plants.

1. Has anyone ever managed to grow one and have the name appear? I bought two out of curiosity and neither worked though both plants grew � long, spindly things that seem to grow as you watch. Almost demonic!

2. Does anyone know what type of plant these things are?

Bit of a long shot I know but if anyone can help I'd be interested.

[chazza]

I bought one for my then bf that claimed to say "I love you" on a leaf.

You pot the seed (which is more like a broad bean) and on the skin of it "I love you" was imprinted. Not sure how this was supposed to get onto a leaf but it didn't work anyway!

[GK Fanatic]

hahahahahahahahahahahaha !! You are winding us all up aren't you ???
That is of course impossible !!!

[4getmenot]

no its not they do them,

http://shop.ebay.co.uk/?_from=R40&_trksid=m38& _nkw=grow+your+own+name+plant

[coke71]

Both my girls are growing them at the moment and yes their names are on show although the plant itself is growing a bit spindley, but when your a little girl it's very exciting and magical seeing this thing grow with your name on in front of your very eyes.

I think it's called a 'bean plant'

[terambulan]

Blimey...wat an excellent business......how much is the plant?

I'll be a millionaire at this!

[smudge742]

Both my daughters had one of these for Christmas in their stocking, they were very excited that 'Father Christmas' had got them one.......they were rubbish!! They did grow slightly, but although the name was on the bean, it never appeared anywhere else, and I don't think either of them had a leaf! Result.....two unhappy girls!

[TheMightyMog]

The marketing on this is is somewhat misleading. Your name is simply printed on the bean shell. The roots sprout from the bottom of the bean and the husk (containing the name inscribed upon it) rises as the been grows, with the shoot going from the top sprouting leaves. Since the husk was a dried bean pulse, it swells (grows) as it takes in water prior to germination. The growth of the plant causes it to split with the roots coming from the bottom and the stem from the top. Since this particular pulse (bean) is green its split shell has the appearance of a small leaf at the base of the plant. It's not a leaf, it's the same thing that was inscribed with the name, but now it's hanging on from the base of the growing plant looking for all the world like a leaf until it falls off. Still nice little trick for children. Bit pricey at around 5 pounds a bean (includes container to grow it in and some 'magic' soil... I suppose all soil and beans are kind of magic). Furthermore, if your name is is Baron Wolfenstein Humperdinck Shlosenhammer you're going to need a magnifying glass.

[Blight]

Hey, I've been growing one recently and it seems to be going well (a few days in and it's almost emerged from the 'soil'). In regards to the species question, it looks to be a sword/scimitar bean (Canavalia Gladiata). Hope this helps!!!