Interesting plant in my yard

[JBtheExplorer]

I'd love to know what this is. Native? Non native? Invasive?
I saw it growing in my yard and I'm not sure I've seen one of these before. I've got no idea what it could be and I'm wondering if I should save it or mow it next time I cut grass.

 

[Becky]

No idea I'm afraid! It has beautiful buds though, I'd be interested to see what it looks like in full bloom.

 

[LIcenter]

It looks like some type of milkweed. 'Asclepias' which are known to have over 140 different varieties.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

It looks like some type of milkweed. 'Asclepias' which are known to have over 140 different varieties.

Nope, definitely not milkweed.

 

[Silver surfer]

It looks like some type of milkweed. 'Asclepias' which are known to have over 140 different varieties.

I think the 3rd pic in the 1st post with" More beautiful" etc on it is what Licenter was looking at, which is Asclepia sp.... rather than the first 2 pics showing mystery plant!

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=a...OIO4afbDgNAE&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1536&bih=728

Do please add further close up pics to this thread. ..showing the open flower,
It may help with an id.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Yeah, my signature is asclepias tuberosa as Silver surfer said. The images I shared are something else.

 

[Marck]

Overall, this appears to be Spring Wintercress (Barbarea verna), or a closely related species of Barbarea, in the Mustard Family (Brassicaceae). However. what is unusual here is the amount of red anthocyanin pigment in the stems and flower buds.
Most Barbarea would have green stems and buds, but I did find a few other examples of red-stemmed Barbarea, so presumably it is part of the natural variation of the species.

Most Barbarea are native to Eurasia, with a few in Africa and Australia, but there is one species, Brassica orthoceras, that does occur natively in northern and western North America.

JB, do you remember what the flowers looked like when they opened? Were they similar to yellow mustard flowers?

 

[Oliver Buckle]

The height, square looking stem and inflorescence made me think of figworts, but the flowers when they open are pretty distinctive. Difficult to tell which leaves belong to it and what their configuration is.

 

[Marck]

The height, square looking stem and inflorescence made me think of figworts, but the flowers when they open are pretty distinctive. Difficult to tell which leaves belong to it and what their configuration is.

If you look at the stem leaves they are similar to the basal leaves below. Both are like those of Barbarea.

Figwort (Scrophularia) leaves can be somewhat variable but none are anything like the shape and pattern of lobing seen here.
Compare principally with Scrophularia lanceolata, S. marilandica, and S. nodosa, as those are the three species of Figwort found in the midwest.