I could use some expert help identifying a mysterious weed. I have about a dozen of these growing under a mature spruce and need to know whether to rip them out quick or sit back and enjoy them. I suspect they are something nasty and invasive. Read on... Sample plant: 3-5ft high, fast growing (4-6" a week it seems). Stem: hollow, distinct pinkish/red tinge. Not as strong a red as on rhubarb, say, but definitely noticeable. Stem is smooth and matt. Root: single deep taproot, eg 12" on a 4ft plant. Leaves: broad leaved, about 6" long and 4" at widest point, green, oval. Ever so slightly puckered. Leaves are on stems that radiate out from the main stem. Flowers. I haven't let any of them flower yet for fear they'll set seed, but from what I can see they're on bracts in clumps of about a dozen. The undeveloped buds look like tiny (1/8") green pumpkins, ie they have little furrows on the side rather than being smooth like berries. Location: zone 7, northern virginia, usa. All help is appreciated. I've looked at various places on the net (eg USDA's invasive plants site, VT'short dept) without any luck.
Aha! Yes, it's pokeweed alright. Thanks very much. Now to the question of eradication. These puppies have deep taproots and I'd rather not dig 1 foot deep all around the base of my spruce (shallow root system, etc). It also seems that they tolerate both shady and no-shade conditions, so letting in more sun (by cutting back the lowest spruce branches) in an attempt to frazzle them is out. If I just hack them down over and over can I weaken them enough that they won't come back next spring? Or do I need to unleash some kind of chemical arsenal? The spruce is my kids clubhouse, den and playground so I'd like to avoid that if I can even if it means more gruntwork.