Unusual Plant in my Garden

[wildebus]

Cleaning up a raised border and had this plant there and unsure what it was or what to do with it

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This was taken on 6th May. Uploaded a photo to CHATGPT and advised as follows....

The plant in your image appears to be a young comfrey (Symphytum officinale) or a closely related species like common mullein (Verbascum thapsus)—both are common in the UK and have large, fuzzy leaves.​

Based on your photo, the texture looks more like mullein due to the light green, fuzzy look of the leaves and the upright rosette form. However, feel the leaves—if they’re extremely soft and fuzzy, it's likely mullein. If they’re rough and not velvety, it may be comfrey.​

Apparently regarded as a weed generally, but I was intrigued to see how it would fare so left it.
Took another photo on the 13th June

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Fair bit taller and turning into a bit of a Triffid, so wondering how far this will grow!

New photo today on 30th June, 17 days after the previous one and it's a bit of a monster

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Uploaded the new photo to ChatGPT and this is the reply

Thanks for the update — and wow, what a transformation!​

Based on this new photo, your plant is definitely Common Mullein (Verbascum thapsus). ​

(and some suggestions what to do next)

What to Do:​

• Let it flower — it's already looking impressive.
• If you don’t want more mullein next year, remove the spike before seeds form (or pull the plant after flowering finishes).
• If you like it, let it seed and thin the seedlings next spring as needed.

Apparently it is a Biennial and flowers in year 2 (never noticed this plant last year though?) and after finishing flowering will die. It sounds like it is a plant that will grow anywhere without much help so I'll probably gather the flowers (seeds?) and distribute them in the front driveway border as a row of these will look pretty funky I think

Using ChatGPT to ID the plant was very handy as when I first saw it, to me (a definate non-gardener) it just looked like cabbage leaves

 

[bartman]

ChatGPT? Google lens would have identified it straight away!

 

[trevskoda]

I have a few of these growng in the conservitory, no flowers as yet, can anyone identify it as im not a gardener, next door says its a weed.

 

[HurricaneSmith]

Yes, it's weed, Trev. Cannabis.

But you knew that, didn't you.

 

[El radge]

I have a few of these growng in the conservitory, no flowers as yet, can anyone identify it as im not a gardener, next door says its a weed. View attachment 76401

What's your address?
I'll pop over and check it for you