I was ready to put on my heavy gloves, get out the long-handled spade, and evict it from the garden. Then I saw the bee hungrily sipping nectar the other morning from its dainty, pink flowers. If the bees and other pollinators are attracted to it, it has to be good, right?
I had the courage to yank it up the previous day, when my daughters started defending the gaudy thing, telling me how pretty it is!
I vigorously pruned the plant once in the past week, but it has shot up and out even more audaciously. It's taller than me, now spanning six feet around as well as six feet tall! I told you about the plant earlier when we weren't sure if it would bloom. I was hoping for a tropically inspired, orchid-type bloom. Instead, this reminds me of a thistle. I've been dutifully flipping through wildflower directories in hopes of finding a name and some appreciation for this green giant. I have not.
The more I learn about wildflowers and native plants with medicinal properties, the more restrained I've become from calling a plant a weed. What would you do if this popped up in your flower bed?
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