I don't know what it is, but I have a little forest of them out in the backyard, although the forest is not as dense as last year's. I guess pulling them out last year helped thin them some....

Dee

Those are huge weeds, Jane and I have no idea what they are. I haven't seen anything like that in my garden. I have one that is about as tall as I am but yours beats that by quite a bit. Great shot with the car for perspective.

Yikes! How about posting this on the "Name that Plant" forum? I've been searching my references and can't find it, but I'd love to know what this is ---- in case this monster migrates to the southern part of our state.

Sometimes the internet is not enough so I dug out the big gun - the Golden Guide to Weeds, one of those little handbooks. I then googled the possible weed based on leaf shape.

The closest I could find is the smooth sow thistle AKA common sow thistle AKA Sonchus oleraceus which is Eurasian but established all over the US.

The Name that Plant Forum is excellent.

Claire

edit note: I don't know why that link doesn't work - I found the site by googling "Smooth sow thistle" and clicking on the wildflowerfinder.org/UK link called Sow-Thistle (Smooth). Nice photos.

This post was edited by claire on Sat, Jul 27, 13 at 18:38

What a good and clever scout!, Claire. Could be smooth sow thistle. The tall ones had no flowers, but there was a yellow blossoming shorter version nearby. Did I mention I have no shortage of specimens? I'll have to get a leaf close up of one. That 8 footer grew in the 6 weeks of my knee repair and the jungle heat, so it's DNA has had practice. I also had a bumper crop of wild garlic mustard that formed a ridge between me and a new neighbor. Who needs Anchor fencing?

Molie, never fear. Even you had one of these, in your gardens it wouldn't get any taller than next Thursday, lol.

Jane (that link must be protected somehow, Claire. Would not work for me either)

This post was edited by corunum on Sat, Jul 27, 13 at 22:57

Bingo, Claire! and Ha!, Jane.

I googled Connecticut + Sonchus oleraceus and found many photos plus information. I definitely recognize this plant in its shorter immature state but have never seen its monstrous form. Here's an interesting link that shows its developmental stages.

Now I'll have to check my references and see if it's any of them.

Here is a link that might be useful: Go, Botany!

This post was edited by molie on Sun, Jul 28, 13 at 8:37

Okay, Jane --- time to eat crow --- or should I say time to eat Spiny-leaved Sow Thistle (Sonchus asper)? I've got 'em, too!

In fact, I've pulled them out of my garden many times. You recall the weed farm we have next door. Well, I often find these growing along the garden fence. Mine have prickers along the stem, and I have to wear gloves to pull them out. But yours don't seem to have spines.

According to my field guide, S. asper has leaves that are to 10" long, prickly edged, usually deeply lobed with 2 rounded lobes at the base. It "flowers" June to October and grows 1-6'. However, S. oleraceus has two pointed lobes at the base of its leaves --- that's what your monsters seem to be. On the plus side, the guide says that all sow thistles can be used as potherbs. Hmmmm, maybe you should try stir-frying them with onions?

Of course, you are right. Mine never get to be "as high as the elephants eye" :) I'm not surprised that these grew so luxuriously during the heat wave and your long rehabilitation. The weeds always win.

Molie

Found 2 more this morning, each being 5'-6.5' high, but no blossoms. Here's a better look at the leaf and yes, I will post pictures on the ID forum.

Too funny, Molie. Knew weeds could never reached maturity in your gardens, lol. Have to admit that with a wonky knee it's much easier to meet your weeds face to face.

I think 'mine', if I dare claim them, look like the British version that Claire found. Only fitting that this household have the UK version. They're quite agreeable weeds in that a good straight upward yank lifts them completely out. No kneeling required (if you let them mature). hahahahaha

Jane

This post was edited by corunum on Sun, Jul 28, 13 at 10:52

RE the link not working: When I tried going to the main site, wildflowerfinder.org, there was a note asking visitors to use the site sparingly during June, July and August (from memory, I don't want to add to the problem) because there was a limit to how much bandwidth per month was available. It sounds like this is a one-person show with a limited internet access plan.

Claire

Well, someone on the Name this Plant Forum says it is wild lettuce, 'Lactuca, Blue Tall', and when I searched some more I found a U.Mass link to wild lettuces that show it pretty well. (link below) So close to smooth sow thistle. All new to me.

I'm going to let the remaining tall ones bloom and post the pics here. Seems a shame to grow that tall and not bloom. I learned something new about wild lettuces so maybe someone else will too. I guess I'm glad it has a weed classification because at first when I read lettuce I felt bad thinking I might have tossed my wild lettuce farm start up capital. But I guess I just killed a weed.

Jane

Here is a link that might be useful: UMass Amherst, 'weeds'

So this is what domesticated lettuce wants to be when it bolts? Tree lettuce?

Think about that the next time you eat a salad.

The Name that Plant Forum is really good - I see it took a little over half an hour after you posted to get an answer.

Claire

Thanks, Claire and Jane, for your detective work.

I pull these guys out frequently. However, I don't have any as tall as Jane's.

-Tina

Ah yes! The wild lettuce name does ring a bell. I remember being a bit confounded when I first heard it, as the weed I was looking at was nothing at all like what my imagination conjured up when I heard "wild lettuce".

It's truly an amazing weed. I'm sure my neighbors marvel over my patch of them every day. ;)

Dee

Dee - we're throwing out $$. Lactuca biennis, tall blue wild lettuce is $4.00 an ounce (dried) online. Apparently, it's good for many things that ail us, plus it is a poor man's opium, I learned according to WebMD. Oh, nooo. And, there is a woman on Youtube running a nursery that sells native (wild) lettuce plants. Her plants for sale look just like my 'weeds'. Your lettuce forest has value! All we need is a buyer, lol.

Jane:)

Well, geez, Jane, what are we waiting for? Let's go into business, lol!

;)
Dee

I have to withdraw the promise to let the lettuce bloom as I had stated on an earlier post. In good conscience I cannot let the lactuca biennis bloom and spread its seed, so I'm ending the tallest weed contest. Inasmuch as I was the only contestant (the only one willing to show her weeds) it's all a mute point. For those who want to know more about this edible, saleable, smokeable, cure- everything-wrong-with-you plant that I have taken to the town dump, read the link below.

Meanwhile, the tallest one (before blooming its blue aster blossoms) grew to be 11' 4" inches tall right next to a somewhat stumped roseum elegans rhododendron which helped support it.

Jane (no longer doing business as the organic tall lettuce farm)

Here is a link that might be useful: Eatweeds.com