Hello Epilobium Brachycarpum
Otherwise known as Tall Annual Willowherb
At least I am about 90% sure this is my mystery plant. It has started flowering and every resource I’ve looked at seems to say this is it.
So, that is what I am going with for an ID.
It belongs in the Evening Primrose (Onagraceae) family, so early guesses by some folk that it was primrose were pointed in the right direction.
It is a native species but apparently does have a reputation of taking over if you aren’t careful. I will keep some of it for a while it flowers, but I think I will be ruthless and take most of it out.
The flowers are quite pretty and small. While it looks like it has 8 petals, it is really four that are deeply notched.
Now that I know what it is and what it looks like when it first comes up, I will be able to keep some of it in my wildflower garden beds without it taking over too much.
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