The bamboo sort of thing mentioned by Dave Cawley may be Japanese
Knotweed, a current topic of discussion on rec.gardens .  This bamboo
look-alike is the bane of most suburban gardeners, very invasive and
next to impossible to irradicate.  It grows to about ten feet high and
has small white flowers that are currently blooming and attracting many
honeybees.  I don't know what kind of honey the flowers produce, but I
can testify that the bees work the flowers like crazy.  This is the
only thing positive that I can say about the plant.
 
Aaron Morris - I think, therefore I bee!