HUGE mystery weed, any idea what it is?

[sreinhard88]

Yesterday I was helping my friend plant some peppers outside and when we walked over to the bed (which hadn't been weeded for quite some time) he showed me this enormous weed.

Here is a closer view of the top of the plant with what appears to be its seeds?

 
Does anyone have any idea what kind of weed this is?

 

[JoynersHotPeppers]

Not exactly but I can tell you I get them and they are part of bird seed. My guess, a bird ate seed and dumped a load while perched on the fence and left you a gift.  

 

[ArkansasJack]

Kind of looks like milkweed at least that's what they call it down here in the south..........

 

[wildseed57]

Birds will eat the seed heads, and spread the plant all over, so I would get a potato fork and lift the whole plant and long root stock out of the soil and put it in a burn barrel or trash bag to be hauled off . Don't let any of the seeds get into the soil as they will spread. everywhere.

 

[chsy83]

Leaf structure is similar to Burdock . . . but clusters at top are dissimilar . . .

If Burdock, which has a taproot, root is edible.

 

[sreinhard88]

After further google searching I think it may be curly dock or some other form of dock.  It did have a very large taproot, however I threw everything away after digging it up.

 

[kentishman]

I don't know U.S. plants as well, but it looks like what we called Dock in the U.K., so I think you've got it.

 

[ajijoe]

my guess is if it came from bird seed it could be whats called "MILO"
 because millet is much bushier and has smaller leaves
im with kentishman in another guess it also could be Dock (maybe purple dock)
i have seen this plant before so im not entirely sure it comes from bird seed or if its just a weed
 
i seen all kinds of stuf pop up from bird seed many times
however i would pull that sucker out before it goes to seed, i would not let it live in my garden,especially with not knowing what it is
 
thanks your friend Joe

 

[Chile Juju]

Looks like you've got some Yellow (aka Curly) Dock on your hands! Pesky, but useful, medicinally! It often grows near nettles, and we used to use the Dock root to tame the sting. Works like a charm!

 

[Gotrox]

Dock is an aphid condo.
BURN IT WITH FIRE!
 

 

[sreinhard88]

Looks like you've got some Yellow (aka Curly) Dock on your hands! Pesky, but useful, medicinally! It often grows near nettles, and we used to use the Dock root to tame the sting. Works like a charm!

Really? That's interesting, is it the root itself that alleviates it or is it just the juices of the plant in general?  Medicinal/edible wild herbs have always fascinated me.
 

Dock is an aphid condo.
BURN IT WITH FIRE!
 

Unfortunately I already threw the whole thing out lol maybe next time (although hopefully there won't be one!)  I'll eat the root and burn the rest!

 

[Chile Juju]

I suppose you could make a poultice with the leaves, but rubbing the sting with the root is much faster to do!
 
I became an herbalist when I realized I could grow weeds SOOOOO much better than veggies!  

 

[gasificada]

I wouldn't be so quick in disposing of any host that aphids favour over chilli. I have a similar looking plant that pops up in my garden/yard, and as long as I leave it be, the aphids here are generally disinterested in my chilli plants. The next step is planting some flowers and whatnots that are known to attract benes (ladybugs, parasitic wasps, etc) and the rest is complete and utter effortless aphid control. OK, not in all cases, but it works for me!

...that is, until someone here feels it their duty in life to rip out anything and everything that they deem to be a weed. (and you can only explain something so many times... )

 

[sreinhard88]

I suppose you could make a poultice with the leaves, but rubbing the sting with the root is much faster to do!
 
I became an herbalist when I realized I could grow weeds SOOOOO much better than veggies!  

Ha I know what you mean, it's almost like they grow themselves!