I need help identifying this plant. It grows about 2-1/2 feet tall. Has seed pods like a caragana but with white fluff that floats the seeds. It grows from seeds and spreads from rhizomes that are about six eight inches deep. It will have a tendency to shade other plants and take over. It flourishes in either sun or shade and on poor acid [ 6PH ] soil.
Eradication by tilling does not seem to work well. Roundup and Killex type products will kill it but There are too many other plants/trees to be able to spray properly.
The library has been visited, goggle has been goggled and many people around have been questioned. I still don't know what it is.
I have used a website from the University of Virginia or Virginia Tech ( some college with Viriginia in the title) I'm not sure which, to I.D. plants before. The guys a Doctor and he's pretty smart. He will identify plants from a photo or series of photos if you show him the right parts. He needs to see how the leaves cluster and how they connect to the stem.
If you Googled this thoroughly you may have run across him.
Identifying plants and trees can be difficult but the genius/ species name can be crucial in the effort to eradicate.
Here I found it! It took about 90 seconds, only because I look for it before. His name is Dr Chris Gough, hes a professor. If he can't help you may want to stop looking.
Let me know if this helps
Good luck
Looks like Apocynum cannabinum to me.
It's not exactly useless:
"Indian hemp was used as a source of fiber by Native Americans, to make hunting nets, fishing lines, clothing, and twine. It was also used in herbal medicine to treat syphilis, rheumatism, intestinal worms, fever, asthma, and dysentery. Although the toxins from the plant can cause nausea and catharsis, it has also been used for slowing the pulse".
If you can get some of these moths to lay some eggs on it...
