Hi all, Can you help me id this plant. It started growing next to our house a couple of years ago and comes back every year. It grows pretty quickly too. It looks a lot like a sunflower stalk to me but the leaves do not have sawtooth edges and it doesn't flower. It currently stands about 9-10 ft tall ans is still growing. Location is in Massachusetts if that helps. Thanks Rob
Welcome rdrr. Looks like Paulownia tomentosa. Common name Foxglove tree. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulownia_tomentosa http://www.google.co.uk/images?q=Pa...&source=og&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi&biw=1242&bih=529
Usually these are Paulownia but upper leaves of this one indicate possibly a Catalpa. Either way a big tree in time. You can tell which it is right away, without looking at botanical features because the Paulownia has downy leaf surfaces that appear to drip a soapy material when sprayed with water.
Yep, I can see whorled leaves in the OP's image. http://www.treetopics.com/catalpa_speciosa/northern_catalpa_0326.jpg
Thanks guys. Got a question though. From digging around the net what I seen is that this tree can get to be about 10' tall in a couple of years but I cut this one down in April of this year and it is back to 10' tall now. So 10' in 4 months. Is that common, or is this possibly something else. Here's a couple of additional pics taken from outside. Thanks again Rob
Most likely there's a well established root system from an older tree. When cut to the ground it can rebound very quickly, much more so than a seedling. There might even be a tree in your neighbors yard who's root has been cut off near your foundation.