"Jack & the Beanstalk" ?

[Plumbata]

That stalk is seriously 40 feet tall now??

Some seriously cool flora you have down there.

How high do ya think Jack could shimmy up that thing before it would snap?

 

[SAbottles]

Hi, Stephen. Well, a lot depends on whether it was Jack Sprat or Jack Fat ! My wife could probably get near to the top, but I don't intend asking her ![:-] It is higher than the roof now and shows no inclination of stopping. It does, however, have an inclination of several degrees, thanks to the South Easter !!
Last time we had one of these, when the flower pods opened the birds went absolutely crazy, so we are fascinated to see what will happen this time. Here is another shot to give some idea of the height. I should really get it with someone standing next to it ... or at least near it ! -

 

[SAbottles]

Actually meant to load this picture:

 

[Plumbata]

That last image really puts it in perspective, what an incredible plant! Few things besides some fungi seem to grow so quickly.

So what would you estimate the diameter of that trunklike stem is near ground level? Looks like you could build a small treehouse if you had a few of those growing next to eachother.

 

[suzanne]

It looks like a giant asparagus.

 

[SAbottles]

Suzanne, if only it were [:-]!! At the present price of asparagus over here it would be better than the giant's gold !![]
Here's a shot of my wife near it to give some perspective :

 

[SAbottles]

And Stephen, this is me asking how the @#$% I'm meant to get near enough to measure it [] !! However, I did and at about 4 ft up, the circumference is about 45cm !

 

[SAbottles]

Just then our garden service arrived and I asked one of them to chop it down with a weed eater ! I think the smile on his face says it all !!

 

[SAbottles]

And so it remains, looming ominously against the sky (which, for those of you stuck in the snow like Joe, is a lovely warm blue !!)

 

[woody]

A good friend of mine, who I went to Berklee College of Music with, is originally from South Africa.
His name is John Lockwood and he's a great bass guitar player.