Kochia

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.

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