# What is this 10 foot tall weed? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 12, 2021, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-10-foot-tall-weed/948534 "2021-08-12T17:29:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2021, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-10-foot-tall-weed/948534/1 "2021-08-12T17:29:55Z")
Found in NE Ohio. It has a slim central stalk and is 10 feet high at the moment. Judging by the buds at the top it shows no signs of slowing down. [![Imgur](https://i.imgur.com/ZLzJULU.jpeg "imgur.com") ](https://imgur.com/ZLzJULU) ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2021, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-10-foot-tall-weed/948534/2 "2021-08-12T17:51:39Z")
Looks like bitter lettuce to me. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/_FPbhIOftKQ/maxresdefault.jpg "Wild Lettuce (Lactuca virosa)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FPbhIOftKQ) ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2021, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-10-foot-tall-weed/948534/3 "2021-08-12T17:54:08Z")
If nobody comes by who knows for sure, maybe check on the many amaranth varieties. ---
**Author:** ![tricoteuse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tricoteuse/32/4334_2.png) [@tricoteuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tricoteuse)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2021, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-10-foot-tall-weed/948534/4 "2021-08-12T18:07:14Z")
If the stem and leaves have milky juice, it’s some kind of wild lettuce. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2021, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-10-foot-tall-weed/948534/5 "2021-08-12T18:07:23Z")
Can’t see the top in that pic— does it have a stalk on top with little yellow flowers, looking a little like kernels on a corn cob? If so, mullein: > **[mullein - Wiktionary](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/mullein)** I pulled a couple of 8-10’ tall ones out that were growing right next to a couple pine trees in our yard (they seem to be symbiotic with pines), considering them weeds and eyesores, and my wife yelled at me- she thought they looked nice. One person’s weed… ---
**Author:** ![shh1313](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shh1313/32/8020_2.png) [@shh1313](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shh1313)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2021, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-10-foot-tall-weed/948534/6 "2021-08-12T19:48:39Z")
Mullein uses everything you need to know podcast and article. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2021, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-10-foot-tall-weed/948534/7 "2021-08-12T20:10:24Z")
It’s not Mullien. They have fuzzy leaves. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2021, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-10-foot-tall-weed/948534/8 "2021-08-12T21:37:06Z")
My first thought on hearing “10’ tall weed in Northeast Ohio” was joe pye weed, but that’s clearly not it, because those would have big, noticeable purple blossoms right around now. I’ll ask my mom (an experienced wildflower garderner) the next time I see her. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2021, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-10-foot-tall-weed/948534/9 "2021-08-12T21:54:17Z")
my first guess is wild lettuce. The blossoms would be yellowish and unspectacular. Tear off a leaf and milky sap will ooze at the stem. ---
**Author:** ![bodangus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c37758/32.png) [@bodangus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bodangus)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-10-foot-tall-weed/948534/10 "2021-08-13T00:41:58Z")
Stinging nettle. Maybe. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-10-foot-tall-weed/948534/11 "2021-08-13T01:23:20Z")
My plant identifying app says Tall Blue Lettuce. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2021, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-10-foot-tall-weed/948534/12 "2021-08-16T15:39:18Z")
Forgot to get back to this thread on Friday-- My mom says that there isn’t any tall wild lettuce around these parts, and she suspects wild primrose. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2021, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-10-foot-tall-weed/948534/13 "2021-08-16T23:39:07Z")
That sounds very primrosing but I can’t find a photo of any that are tall. I haven’t gotten back to the kid’s place to cut a leaf and check for milky sap yet. ---
**Author:** ![MoonMoon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moonmoon/32/2959_2.png) [@MoonMoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoonMoon)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2021, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-10-foot-tall-weed/948534/14 "2021-08-16T23:48:48Z")
It looks like pokeweed. If that’s what it is, be cautious; it’s poisonous and can irritate your skin. Definitely get rid of is, because once it sets fruit and then seed, it’s tenacious. ---
**Author:** ![BrickBat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@BrickBat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrickBat)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2021, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-10-foot-tall-weed/948534/15 "2021-08-17T01:24:43Z")
I believe pokeweed has rounder leaf tips and a red or reddish stem, plus it tends to be bush-like in its growth rather than straight up tree-like in the OP photo. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2021, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-10-foot-tall-weed/948534/16 "2021-08-17T05:52:31Z")
10 feet is about as high as an elephant’s eye. Must be some kind of corn. ---
**Author:** ![Mallory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@Mallory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mallory)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2021, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-10-foot-tall-weed/948534/17 "2021-08-26T11:35:54Z")
Can you post a picture of the flowers when they bloom? That might help to ID it. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2021, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-10-foot-tall-weed/948534/18 "2021-09-10T21:34:44Z")
I finally got back to the son’s house. Here is a photo of the flowers: [![Imgur](https://i.imgur.com/NUX4zbh.jpeg "imgur.com") ](https://imgur.com/NUX4zbh) ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2021, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-10-foot-tall-weed/948534/19 "2021-09-10T23:07:11Z")
I still say wild lettuce. [https://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/wild\_lettucex.htm](https://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/wild_lettucex.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Mallory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@Mallory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mallory)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2021, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-10-foot-tall-weed/948534/20 "2021-09-14T13:03:34Z")
Or burnweed. > **[What Is That Huge Mystery Weed?](https://www.thehypertufagardener.com/what-is-that-huge-mystery-weed/)** > > I have a Mystery Weed. Well, I used to have one. Well, I guess it is no longer a mystery since I have finally had it named for me. And my help came from  the [https://www.mountainstatesman.com/article/more-than-just-a-weed](https://www.mountainstatesman.com/article/more-than-just-a-weed)