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Weeds That Grow Tall & Large

One of the things that makes weeds vexing for gardeners and farmers is that they grow quickly and are hard to get rid of. Some weeds, if you simply chop them up, have the ability to regenerate new plants from the chopped up bits. Also, if an area is neglected, a number of weeds can grow very large and overwhelming, which makes the task of getting rid of them that much harder.

Reed and Water Millet
- Reed is also called "feather grass" or "cane grass." It can grow up to 12 feet tall or more. It can take over thousands of acres of poorly drained land. It spreads through runners or rootstock that can sometimes grow 10 feet out from the parent plant in one season.
  
  Water millet can grow to more than 13 feet tall and is just as aggressive. It can cover thousands of acres of old rice fields in Southern states including South Carolina and Georgia. Its leaves are extremely sharp and can inflict cuts if you walks through a stand of it without protective clothing. It grows on both land and in shallow water and spreads through a creeping root stalk as well as seeds.
Stinging Nettle and Mustard
- The stinging nettle grows in neglected places, bottom land and along roadsides. It can grow up to 12 feet tall depending on the species and growing conditions. This plant has stinging hairs on its stems, and leaves that raise a rash if you brush against them.
  
  The mustard plant might be deliberately grown for some things such as medicine, soap and greens. A field full of yellow mustard flowers is beautiful. But if mustard grows where it's not wanted, it can become an invasive weed that overwhelms grain crops. It can be very bushy and grow up to 6 feet tall.
Bindweed and Horseweed
- Weeds can overrun a place that's abandoned or neglected.
  
  Bindweed has white flowers; but where it grows it strangles the vegetation around it. It's a tall plant in reverse --- its root system can penetrate to a depth of 10 feet, which makes the plant extremely hard to get rid of.
  
  Horseweed or hogweed can grow to 6 feet, with white flowerheads at the top. The seeds are small and light enough to be windblown. Hogweed likes to colonize neglected gardens, pastures and hayfields.
Giant Ragweed and Cow Parsnip
- Giant ragweed can grow to 10 feet tall, especially in the East. It's the plant whose pollen makes many people miserable in the fall. It often takes over a field after a crop has been harvested.
  
  Cow parsnip can not only grow to 9 feet tall; but it has huge leaves and flat clusters of flowers. The young stems and leaves can be eaten but the plant looks so much like the deadly poisonous water hemlock that its identification is best left to the experts.

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