I don't go out back nearly as much as the front. The incline is just too steep for my old knees, especially if the ground is wet and lately, it seems to stay wet. We finally got a few days of no rain and I journeyed out back and was surprised to find this huge monster plant had sprung up.
This thing wasn't there just 2 weeks ago and today, it's about 3 feet high and already starting to flower. This is something new to the yard and I have no idea where it came from.
I checked all the normal Georgia Weed sites and nothing comes close to looking like it. Without a name for it, I don't know where to start researching it. I've tried googling every set of keywords that describe it, that I can think of. Nothing is showing up.
New growth stems are green, but they must turn purple as they mature because most of the plant has purple stems. Even the center part of the leaves are purple.
The leaves are somewhat ragged looking and seem to have pointed spines along most of the edges. I have not touched it and don't really want to till I know what it is. It looks sort of scary when you see it in person. I love the color purple but me and purple plants and veggies tend to not mix well together. I tend to break out in a fairly severe rash from them.
Connie just got brave enough to touch it and she said all parts of it are very prickly and felt like some of them has stuck in her finger.
In just the couple of hour since I found it, either it has closed up its flowers for the day or the larger flowers have already wilted and are going to seed. None of the flowers you see in the photo are physically there now. (possible something ate them too).
Any help with identification would be greatly appreciated!
