Balloon Plant, Culver's Root, Canadian Horseweed

Here briefly are another few plants seen in the area, but not specifically located in the neighborhood.  Plants to be on the lookout regarding. (From meet up, Whats That Plant?)

Balloon plant (Gomphocarpus physocarpus) is an African relative of milkweed, which is probably only going to be in gardens.  It is a perennial in zone 8-10 but needs to be started indoors in colder areas.  The unusual inflated spherical fruit gives the many common names, bishop's balls, monkey balls, balloon milkweed.  It will support the monarch butterfly.  Leaves are sharply lanceolate, flowers small in the leave axils. It likes full sun.

Culver's root(Veronicastrum virginicum) is in the snapdragon family. A round smooth central stem may be 4-5 feet high.  There are spikes of white flowers on branches like a candelabra.  Groups of five leaves whorl around the stem similar to Joe Pye Weed. It is said to be widely distributed but not very common.

Canadian horse weed  native to most of North America.   Leaves are 2-10 cm, lanceolate with coarsely toothed margins on sparsely hairy stems.   The leaves grow up the stem in an alternate spiral. In some areas it is considered a noxious weed and is problematic due to resistance to glyphosphate.  It is preferred in making hand drills for starting fires.  There are some similar other Coryza relatives, similar characteristics.