Strange stem plant & 2 others, id please

[secuono]

Noticed these weird stalks with pretty flowers today, never seen them before.
Second plant I used to know what it's called, since they grow where I grew up.
Last one is huge, 10 feet easily, kind of looks like chicory down at the base, but it's just so massive and more uniform than chicory. Didn't touch it to get better pics of the top in case it's something poisonous.

 

[canesisters]

First one ... mountain laurel????

Next 2 - I have no idea what the names are, but we've got them too - LOTS of them. The really tall ones had pretty yellow flowers a week or so ago.

 

[Kassaundra]

This one is sumac

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d101/secuono/pll.jpg

 

[journey11]

The first one with the pink flowers is common milkweed (which I learned recently). And the butterflies love it.

The shrub/tree with the red spikes is staghorn sumac. The Indians and the pioneers would make a lemonade-like drink by steeping the red pods in water.

The third I see often, but don't know what it is called...

 

[secuono]

Thanks, I'll try getting better pics of the 3rd tomorrow.

 

[Carol Dee]

I agree with journey.

 

[Smart Red]

The first one with the pink flowers is common milkweed (which I learned recently). And the butterflies love it.

The shrub/tree with the red spikes is staghorn sumac. The Indians and the pioneers would make a lemonade-like drink by steeping the red pods in water.

The third I see often, but don't know what it is called...

DITTO! Journey knows her stuff! We have plenty of all three around here -- as well as the wild grape vines growing across the top of the sumac. I didn't know that about the drink made from the berries (not pods), but I used to roll the sumac berries across my skin for an 'instant' case of measles.

That third photo is of the plant well after flowering. It would be easier to identify at the bloom stage. Got 'em but I can't recall the name.

 

[secuono]

This pic is a day after I took the others, thought I posted it...opps
It has yellow flowers and puffs, like a dandelion. You can see the jagged shaped leaves at the bottom.