This plant was given to me-- it was found in Connecticut marshes. Is it exotic or native? the plant is about 5 ft tall. Now we feel pretty sure that this is Waterhemp (Amaranthus cannabinus). It is a native.
Plant looks like Amaranthus cannabinus (tidal marsh amaranth) to me. It grows on the east coast from Canada down to Florida. I grow it in my own garden. I've seen it cross with my Amaranthus australis (giant amaranth) plants, which produce plants that look more like A. australis, but with smaller leaves, larger seeds, and faster flowering. I've had a tidal marsh amaranth as large as 18 feet tall, 16 feet wide, and a stem base circumference of 15 inches.
