Even among members of its own species, who live up to their common name "tall beggar-ticks," this one appeared truly gigantic, its height measured an unbelievable 2 m 40 cm! Gray's Manual of Botany provides 1 m 50 cm as maximum height for this species. The enormous plant was looking more like a substantial shrub than an annual. It was discovered just behind the Arnold Arboretum wall facing Centre Street in downtown Boston.