Another mystery plant. . .

[Darth Ruprecht]

Found this in the yard while mowing yesterday. There are actually a few of them, around the perimeter of the back yard.

They look dead, should I pull them or are they going to come back?

And what is it!?

[img]https://i1193.photobucket.com/albums/aa358/DarthRuprecht/Gardening/DSCN0695.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i1193.photobucket.com/albums/aa358/DarthRuprecht/Gardening/DSCN0696.jpg[/img]

Thanks!

[Kisal]

I can't tell with any real accuracy, but maybe giant sunflowers? If that's right, then yes, they are dead and should be removed. You can pull them if you like, or just cut the stalks off at ground level, depending on whether you're going to plant something else there that the sunflower roots might interfere with. I don't remember the roots as being very long-lasting or problematic in the ground, though.

[applestar]

I was thinking they look kind of palm or banana-like -- that got winterkilled.

SOOO curious to find out what they were!

[!potatoes!]

yeah, winterkilled banana of some sort. by now, you can probably cut the dead stuff back to a few inches from the ground.

[Darth Ruprecht]

My first assumption was banana but I haven't seen one in so long I wasn't sure.

I'll trim it down this afternoon after work and see what I find.

[gumbo2176]

My first assumption was banana but I haven't seen one in so long I wasn't sure.

I'll trim it down this afternoon after work and see what I find.

If it is a type of banana, it won't take much warm weather for it to make another appearance. Those things are almost impossible to kill and in the New Orleans area they take off like wild fire when planted. I had some in my back yard when I move in the house and it took me the better part of a year to get rid of them along a back fence so I could put in a vegetable garden without all that shade.

[WildcatNurseryman]

It looks like Arundo Donax, Giant Cane. It looks like a small start of it though. If it happens to be this, which it is pretty difficult to tell 100%, it gets really large. Are there any cone shaped heads coming up? Does the stem appear to be cane-like?

[Darth Ruprecht]

Here's a picture of another plant in the yard which I believe is the same as the original post.

Does this help clarify what this may be?

[img]https://i1193.photobucket.com/albums/aa358/DarthRuprecht/Mobile/57e2c10e.jpg[/img]

[WildcatNurseryman]

Still looks like it could be Arundo. You will know in short order. It grows very fast and very tall. Up to 12-18'. Used to have it planted at my parents house, and I couldn't tell you how many time I got complimented on my "Giant" corn.