Boy, whatever it is, it's a monster. I think I see a blossom starting at the top that looks more like some sort of grass, though the leaves don't look like any grass I know of. I'd be torn re whether to let it be and find out what tit is, and getting rid of it before it gets a strong foot hold. The rest of that bed is so beautiful. Though, if you are looking for variety, that plant probably fits the bill.

Martha

No idea but sure does not look like an echinacia

Definitely NOT Echinacea but I don't have a clue as to what it might be other than corn stalks. No perennial in my experience even comes close to anything like it.

You've a lovely lady's mantle blooming at the unknown's feet.

Jack and the bean stalk comes to mind. I would wait and see. Send a picture when it blooms. Al

It does not look like any Echinacea I have seen. It sure looks scarry.

Hope it is not a Solidago by any chance??

Maybe milo / broom corn?

It looks like corn. I've never seen a perennial that looked like that. Can't wait to find out what it is.

Thank you for your responses. I divided this original pot into 3 and planted in the fall-so now I have 3 of these babies. And it survived our terrible winter. Could end up being a very stubborn large weed!
Thanks for the complements on the ladies mantle. Its very happy in my garden and these are all 1st year divisions from very young plants (1-2 year old) to divide

Another vote for corn!

I don't know. That's not corn, but it could be an Echinacea. What about Ech. pallida (although that's a purple one) or what about Ech. paradoxa? That's yellow.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ech pallida

Edited to say: I don't think it's E. pallida, but it might be E. paradoxa. I've grown both from seed with only a couple E. paradoxa surviving in the Xeric garden, and upon closer inspection earlier today they do look something like the ones growing in my garden.

This post was edited by terrene on Sat, Jun 7, 14 at 18:51

I'm dying to know what this is! We raise acres of corn and your picture doesn't look like anything we raise around here.

At the top of the picture, it looks like one of those is starting to throw a bloom...see, thru the leaves, a line of almost peas in a row???? Could you take and then post another picture of that?

The plant is so big too.

So curious... One year I had a plant start to grow in my garden...blew/got dropped in from somewhere. It had big 5 or 6" leaves shaped like echinacea or rudbeckia, what in the world? Then it threw about 6 stalks that grew to almost 4 feet and had yellow rudbeckia type flowers mostly up top. Some sort of wildflower, but oh what fun it was to watch and see what it became. It sure didn't fit in with my irises and poppies and clematis and baby's breath, so it's gone now. LOL

Just went out to inspect for any buds, pea pods or flowers-nope just more leaves. Too bad I can't do a search for gigantic sun loving ?????

sorghum vulgare broomcorn?

possibly one of the ironwoods - vernonia? This is a genus I am not terribly familiar with but I would happily bet the farm that this plant hails from the asteraceae family. Deffo not any type of maize.

Wow! That's really something!
At first I thought it was some kind of corn or sugar cane, but on closer inspection, I agree with the more recent posts - it's not a grass. The stem is too fleshy.
It doesn't look like echinacea either! Again, the stem is very fleshy and echinacea stems usually have hairs. In the photo, the plant looks totally bald.

No idea what it is, though. It'll be much easier to tell once it flowers.

Good luck!

Not echinacea...as to what it is....will have to wait and see.

I also vote for ironweed. I have one and it looks the same. Mine is in part sun and with a very late start this year is now at two feet. Normally it reaches
about eight feet or more and blooms in latter part of Summer. I love it.

Could it be a maximillian sunflower?

I thought the same thing that campanula and tgs.ontz5a mentioned with vernonia/iron weed. I have missouri ironweed and it looks similar to this, but the leave have a slight ruffle to them. This could be a different one, though?

Hey that maximillian sunflower look like it..also could explain the "golden"

I'll post as soon as it blooms. Meanwhile, it grows taller!

So, Cathy, has it bloomed yet?

Any updates??
CMK