Monarda (Bee Balm) has very square stems

Nope it's not a Monarda....I have Wild Bergamot (4 1/2') in a flower bed. This particular plant has no smell when leaves are crushed and the leaves, nor growth habit are like that of any monarda....growth is completely on 1 single main stem (no side stems whats-so-ever and has no leaf petiols..the leaves themselves are attached to the stem and are opposite, solid red nearer the ground, and then light green with red viens and some reddish tinge to the leaves above... all on a very red stem.

Thanks for the reply :)

Vera

Where (habitat) is this plant growing? Is it prostrate or upright? I thought of Pokeweed or Red-root, but I believe their leaves are arranged alternately on the main stem.

Hi Furpaws,
It is upright and slender and my area is a sandy/gravelly loam.

Thanks
Vera

These guys are flowering now....tiny 4 petaled pink flowers that nod...each stem has it's own single flower.
At first the flowering parts shoot straight up and nod when in flower.

Vera

Verbenaceae also have square stems but with no smell. Mustards have 4 petaled flowers but not all 4 petaled flowers are mustards-have opposite leaves tho I believe.
You are saying that the flowers are single and not in clusters?
Any seed forming yet??

Hi Rosa...
what I should have said was that on the single stem of this plant it sends up small nodding shoots... from the top (I guess you could say)and each bares the tiny 4 petaled pink flower...the maxium height is about 16" tho I've chopped most of these back to 4-6" and they still are sending up these shoots and flowering at that height and some are even shorter than that and also flowering...no seeds are forming yet because I pinch the flowers off...
Whatever it is I've got a lot especially in the shadier parts that have north/east light...they are not many where I get the south/east light. The stems and leaves remain red to tinted red.

I will check out the Verbenaceae family...
Thanks
Vera

Vera,
I see this discussion originated nearly two years ago, but did you ever find out what type of plant it was??
It sounds EXACTLY like plants in my daughter's yard. In all our searches your description is the only thing we've found that matches what she has.
Do you or does anyone else know what they are?? Help!
Thanks!
izzjuzme

I had a plant somewhat similar to these descriptions show up on its own in my native planting. I finally identified it as Mirabilis Nyctaginea AKA Wild Four o'Clock.

It is native to the U.S. but is pretty aggressive in my experience and according to some research I did on it. I ended up removing it from my planting due to its aggressiveness.

Yes....they were an Epilobium. They belong to the Onagraceae (Evening Primrose) family.

Vera

I have a plant growing in my woods that has a red and green spotted stem, it is about 3-4 feet tall, the leafs are straight at the stem part and then they are normal shaped on the top. It has no flowers and occasionly at the top of the plant there are very small curled leafs. What type of plant is this?

Karen, this thread is almost 7 yrs old, last post was 5 yrs ago. You might have better luck by starting your own thread. Are you a member here? I'm unable to see your profile page...