Don't know why the picture won't post, I had to post a link. The link on the forum that explains the rules for picture uploading doesn't work for me.

Try using the HTML code for sharing. Would Nandina be a possibility that far north?

Wisteria?

If WE intentionally planted it in this garden (it's not ours) from seed, it would have to be either a vegetable or an herb. All the companion planting of flowers that we did here were from starts.

In homage to Steve Martin, "Well, excuuuuuuse me!" for trying to help.

I'm sure you're right. Sounds like a lovely, magical place where no birds or squirrels or even the blowing wind deposit any unwanted seeds anywhere. That would rule out Ailanthus altissima also.

@ Purpleinopp, I certainly did not mean to sound ungrateful for your help. Sometimes "tone" doesn't always come across as one intends in forums! I was only trying to indicated that we hadn't intentionally planted anything other than herbs & vegetables from seed. Your comment about birds & squirrels is well taken.

You're so right, thanks. I'll picture a smiley face for you and make sure I'm talking to that. I'm not much of a veggie or herb person but it doesn't look like any kind of either that I've grown. There's also the way it's butt-up against another kind of plant, you probably didn't mix different seeds in any spot, hence the thought process that went immediately to similar-looking known pop-ups.

By comparing the suggestions to images out there, and looking around to see which if any are around your area (although you may or may not find a mama plant nearby, seeds can travel amazing distances, so this is not necessarily enough to rule anything out that's hardy and prevalent within a wide nearby area so large that you certainly can't investigate every plant) you may decide it's one of these, or not.

Other people may pop in with other suggestions as well, they usually do. Probably a lot of people on vacation this week but hope you don't end up stuck with just me.

Besides curiosity, there's not much reason to leave whatever-it-is where it is. I might take another pic if it looks at all different yet, then send it to the compost so it doesn't compete in any way with that vine. A pic from the side, showing how it emerges from the soil might help people recognize it. Whatever it is, it's kinda cute, but that's how a lot of should-have-pulled's escape immediate eradication. Puppy/kitty syndrome.

Hey, purple, my first reaction was also that it is a tree-of-heaven seedling...think you may have hit it there. Zap, when you crush a leaflet does it stink?

hortster

@ horster, I don't know. As I said, it's not my garden, so it's not in my backyard where I can check. What are you thinking?

Ailanthus altissima or tree-of-heaven has a rather disagreeable odor (to most folks) when its foliage or stems are crushed. The seedling in the pic looks like it.

Not a plant that I would have in my yard.

hortster