Sweet William Catchfly

Description:

These strange plants first appeared in late summer/early fall of last year, and managed to survive as a low ground cover throughout the winter. I never saw them die back. They have grown large (5-6" tall) now, and have spread over my entire wildflower patch. The leaves and stem are very smooth and sturdy; they remind me a bit of succulents. I have not noticed any buds forming on the largest ones. They first appeared after several days of rain. The plants that I have pulled tend to have what looks like a tap root, but are not extremely difficult to remove.