What is it?

[rbV5]

Anyone recognize this plant growing in my backyard?

I have gardens with a variety of plants that cover perhaps half my yard that the house doesn't occupy. Working in my garden is one life's little pleasures for me, and I spend a good amount of time messing around with me plants. I'm not much of a gardener, but I live in the very forgiving plant friendly Western Oregon...basically everything I plant in the ground just grows.

The particular plant in the picture is the type I field the most questions about "What the heck is that plant over there?"

Do you know what it is?


Hint; I know what it is

 

[Baked]

Banana tree.

 

[rbV5]

Originally posted by: Baked
Banana tree.

No, but I'd like one in my garden...tropical plants may not do so well here though I have seen small banana trees around here.

 

[scott916]

Looks sorta like a fig tree.

 

[rbV5]

Originally posted by: scott916
Looks sorta like a fig tree.

Nope, not a fig.

 

[loup garou]

some sort of squash plant?

 

[HardcoreRobot]

sunflower?

 

[tenthumbs]

Originally posted by: HardcoreRobot
sunflower?

This one

 

[rbV5]

Originally posted by: loup garou
some sort of squash plant?

No

Originally posted by: HardcoreRobot
sunflower?

Not a sunflower.



Hint #2: It got a late start coming up. Broke through the ground in early June.

 

[KCfromNC]

Devil's Club?

 

[rbV5]

Originally posted by: KCfromNC
Devil's Club?

Nope.

Hint #3; This plant is not native to The Pacific Northwest or North America. It also had an important utilitarian use in the past that helped propagate the plant into other areas around the world and is considered invasive in some climates.

 

[Bryophyte]

What do the flowers look like?

 

[Atomic Playboy]

It's the strangest damn looking Douglas Fir I've ever seen.

 

[Vehemence]

It's an alien. Nuke the site from orbit.

 

[0]

smoke it and let us know the results.

 

[dakels]

I have seen this plant before in NE USA. It looks a lot like a sunflower though from afar but different as you get closer (Sunflowers are thicker, stronger, woodier, and hairy, IRC).

I don't know what it is though but I think it is annual?

 

[rbV5]

Originally posted by: Bryophyte
What do the flowers look like?

Similar to large, light purple, foxglove flowers.

Originally posted by: dakels
I have seen this plant before in NE USA. It looks a lot like a sunflower though from afar but different as you get closer (Sunflowers are thicker, stronger, woodier, and hairy, IRC).

I don't know what it is though but I think it is annual?

It's perennial, in fact it is Deciduous. You may have seen them in the NE USA and large, older examples were actually located by helicopter in the 70's (and most of them harvested) after their value was recognized.

 

[CrazyHelloDeli]

Its a triffid.

 

[vi edit]

n/m...wrong guess

 

[mordantmonkey]

okra?

n/m definitely not NE .. and not deciduous

 

[tenthumbs]

That fence could use a little paint

 

[Turin39789]

aspirin

 

[FP]

That is a weed.

 

[mryellow2]

Some sort of squash plant. I've never seen one that grows straight up like that though.

 

[Cogman]

Castilla elastica? some sort of rubber plant?