^^^ I've posted on this topic before. The notion that nandina kills off birds is grossly overstated. Like a great many other plants - pretty much any Prunus species, pyracantha, hawthorn, lots of Rosaceae - nandina berries contain cyanide. If consumed in quantity, they can kill off birds, other wildlife.....and humans! Most birds are smart enough to know that a few berries won't bother them. But cedar waxwings in particular are either dumb enough or so greedy they will strip the plant bare!! And the issue only seems to affect cedar waxwings. No other bird species seems to be overly affected by nandina berries or other cyanide containing fruits, berries or seeds. This has been very well documented, so no need to overreact and rush out and pull any nandina in your garden. Unless you live where it is considered invasive. And there are even cultivars that rarely ever flower or produce berries so even invasiveness can be a moot point. Nandina Berries and Cedar Waxwings Are Nandina Berries Poisonous to Birds

Thanks. The Ulmus was apparently raised since a seedling and was pruned every year for the past 8 years until the person gave it up, now I'll have to plant it somewhere.

Likely Oenothera biennis. If you look around there are probably some first year non flowering rosettes.

I had to look up 'Patterson's Curse :-)) Darn common names!! It's definitely an echium but hard to differentiate between the two likely suspects mentioned. Both seem to be heavily present and equally aggressive in that region. I am personally only familiar with E. vulgare. And those photos sure look similar. It is a great plant for pollinators but far too rampant in its growth. It is a listed noxious weed in my area.