here are pictures of the mystery plant. is it wishful thinking that it is salvia? it is very healthy, so i suspect it is a weed...

these are the plants
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here are closups of the flower buds


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I'm pretty sure it is not a Salvia. Can't tell until the flowers show. Something off the top of my head says fireweed.

Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Myrtales
Family: Onagraceae
Genus: Epilobium
Species: E. angustifolium

I think Richard is pretty close, but I bet it isn't going to turn out to be Epilobium angustifolium, which has showy flowers and might be something you'd enjoy in the garden. Instead I think it will probably turn out to be one of the other Epilobium species that are widespread in CA. Most don't have showy flowers, and I see them growing in the wild along the edges of wetlands. I think Willowherb is a common name used for all of them. I don't think they'll turn out to be much of a problem weed, but they may not turn out to be real great looking either. They may attract butterflies or other pollinators.

thanks Richard and ladyslppr! I googled epilobium and it does look like my plants. my plants look a lot like the epilobium ciliatum, which don't look very attractive at all.. So I guess I will be pulling them up today before they start taking seed.