Last summer while helping my in-laws with their landscaping, we noticed they had a very small shrub growing alongside of their house. It was kind of unusual looking-- very large green leaves and smooth and bright purple/reddish stalks and branches. Over the course of the summer, it kept growing and growing, and went from being a frail-looking knee-high plant to almost reaching midway up their second-story with thick trunk and stalks. It had what looked to be green flower bud clusters, but it turns out they are fruit of somesort which also turn red/purple.
Anyway, not knowing what is was or how it got there, we whacked it down to the roots with various garden tools until the thing was dead.
Imagine our suprise when this spring when out of the ground we see the very same shrub we had hacked to pieces-- and once again, it started out small and frail. It is now mid-July, and it has once again begin to grow like crazy. Currently, it's about 11 feet tall, with large leaves (think elephant-ear size)-- especially at the bottom.
Any ideas on what it might be? This is in Northern Ohio, if it helps. Sorry for the large (and yet still horrible) camera-phone pictures...
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Anyway, not knowing what is was or how it got there, we whacked it down to the roots with various garden tools until the thing was dead.
Imagine our suprise when this spring when out of the ground we see the very same shrub we had hacked to pieces-- and once again, it started out small and frail. It is now mid-July, and it has once again begin to grow like crazy. Currently, it's about 11 feet tall, with large leaves (think elephant-ear size)-- especially at the bottom.
Any ideas on what it might be? This is in Northern Ohio, if it helps. Sorry for the large (and yet still horrible) camera-phone pictures...
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