Date Photo Taken: May 19, 2011
Location: Marietta GA
Posted By: mwierson
Notes:
This plant is growing wild in the wooded area behind my house. I am just wondering what is is and if it is poisonous? There is a lot of this growing. The plants are spaced about a foot or so from each other.
Appreciate the help.
Bobby Unregistered says:
This looks like American burnweed, often called fireweed here in Metro Atlanta. The following link has some excellent photos of its different growth stages. The site is of mid-west weeds but be assured fireweed is very comfortable in the southeast. http://courses.missouristate.edu/pbtrewatha/american_burnweed.htm
May 26th, 2011 at 12:17 pmChops Unregistered says:
American burnweed will have a green stem all the way to the ground and will be hollow. It will also have a serrated leaf margin. The photo doesn’t show the margin too clearly with the leaf litter behind it. It also looks like the location is rather shady. Is this true? If so, could you take a picture of the leaf-stem juncture?
May 28th, 2011 at 5:50 pmBobby Unregistered says:
According to this source American burnweed has a solid stem. http://commodities.caes.uga.edu/turfgrass/georgiaturf/WeedMngt/grsweedpages/Erehi.html
June 4th, 2011 at 10:40 amIn my observations of the plant this weed in several stages of development from two to twenty four inches tall, all had a purple base at the ground level.
Here is a couple of good pictures from Walter’s site. http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/burnweed-identification/