Numenius is a geographer by training and temperament. He is a Bay Area native, and grew up roaming the East Bay hills. Pica takes her cue from Pica nuttalli, the endemic magpie of central California, chatty and alighting on gleaming things. Pica has another blog, Bird by Bird, in which she records her sketches of birds.
This plant recently sprouted and grew quickly in one of Pica’s garden plots, which has since been heavily mulched. If anybody has any idea what it is, do let us know.
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Do the leaves have a scent? It looks like some genetically confused basil. My 2¢.
Ditto on that hybrid basil idea — looks a lot like volunteer mixes I had between green and purple basils. But I can’t tell if the leaves are opposite…
Amaranth.
Yes it am.
AMARANTH! Ron, I strew some amaranth seeds around that spot a couple of years ago, forgot all about it. Oh you’re good. Thank you! (This plant is now about knee-high…)