In late spring, tall plants come up in our patio bed. At first there were three or four, and now there are 10. The branches almost look like a fern. It gets great fall color. My neighbor called them Kochia. Does this sound correct?
Kochia (Bassia scoparia and formerly as Kochia scoparia) is a fine textured annual plant that reseeds readily making it appear to be perennial. It is grown for its fine foliage that turns a brilliant red in the fall. Farmers in dry regions have used this as a drought tolerant forage crop. Kochia is a fast growing and reseeds readily making it a weed in some regions. Tolerant of full sun and dry conditions it matures into a 1 to 5 foot tall cone shaped plant. Variegated and more compact varieties are also available for ornamental plantings.
Jan Samanek, State Phytosanitary Administration