We have a plant growing in our backyard that looks like a mini jack in the beanstalk. The trunk is thick and we believe it is a flower but not sure, can you help?
From the size of that, it's probable there is a root that overwintered. You'll want to dig it out. If the soil is fairly loose you could use a pitchfork to lift it, but you can't leave the root. While it's an interesting plant if you've never noticed it before, and it has some utility, you really do want to remove it immediately. Don't compost it unless you discard the root separately. I'm a cracker, and native plants enthusiast, and I know how to use Phytolacca americana. I would not let a pokeweed take hold in my back forty.
