Hi all! I have a new pet project I'd like to share with you. My aunt Lucy has recently purchased a new house, and the yard has been neglected for several years. She's going to rip up everything back there and put down new sod, so before she had a chance I rushed over with shovel in hand. Most of it mom wouldn't let me keep, calling them, "weeds" and saying they'd take over the yard. (I should do a rant about that. Her definition of weeds is any plant that kills and forces out other plants. I should ask her if the willow saplings that pop up every year qualify. ) But one I would not back down on. It was around the front of the house, and I think it used to be a bush, but had been hacked down because it was near the water spigot. It was still alive, though, and when I tried to dig it up, very difficult to remove. I was amazed to find the tap root was bigger than the stem! I eventually had to cut it, but it's a very interesting plant with lots of character. I don't know what it is, though, so if anyone knows and has care tips, I would greatly appreciate them. The pictures are of the mystery plant after I potted it in a mix of sphagnum moss and the natural dirt out back and placed it in a partly shady area. It's right next to Phil, a mallsai and my first bonsai ever. I also dipped the broken tap root in rooting hormone, just to be safe. I (and aunt Lucy) live just south of Indianapolis, Indiana, so if anyone has seen this plant before, has care tips, or just knows something basic I'm doing wrong, please let me know! My first priority is this plant not dying. I'd like to be able to do a long progression of turning this scruffy, but interesting, plant into a beautiful bonsai.