It's hard to see enough detail, but the plants pictured appear to be Horseweed (also known as Marestail). It is a very common summer annual, which means it germinates in spring and completes its life cycle (maturing, flowering, going to seed, then dying) before winter. While the original plant will not return next year, its seedlings might, if it's allowed to go to seed. Removal should be fairly easy compared to perennial weeds -- either pull/dig them out, or cut them down until they stop regrowing. Horseweed is a native plant, but weedy enough in spread and not very showy in bloom that most gardeners consider them to be weeds needing removal when they volunteer themselves in gardens. Wind or wildlife moves seed around, so it wasn't necessarily contaminating anything sown or planted in those pots.

Spotted Lanternflies can feed on a large array of plant species, so even if you remove the weeds, the insects might appear on non-weeds as well. Fortunately, this is not concerning, since the past few years of observations since lanternfly arrived in our area have shown that they don't appear to cause serious plant damage (outside of settings like vineyards, at least).

Miri

Miri,

 

Thank you for writing me back.  PlantNet identified Horseweed but it also came up with lots of other names too.  I just started using the app and I am a novice but having fun trying to learn new plants.  The plants are up on my deck so I wonder if the seeds were in any of the packets or blew up to the deck which I doubt..  I did not see the name on the see package under Horseweed so will check for Marestail.  I don’t want them to reseed so I am going to pull them out of the pots and sow some of my annuals in their place.  I am glad the Spotted Lanternflies will not do damage to my flowers.  I still see lots of nymphs.

 

Thank you again for your expertise!

 

Ilene 

The seeds on plants like Horseweed have fine hairs like a parasol on their tops, a bit like Dandelion seeds, and can easily float or drift long distances on air currents. It would be quite easy for them to land on balcony or rooftop planters and germinate. Seed companies would not deliberately include Horseweed/Marestail in a wildflower or meadow seed mix. Plant ID apps aren't always accurate, but sometimes they can get you close to an ID, even if it's only to family or genus level.

Miri

Miri,

You're welcome!