This one here is about 4-5 feet tall they are about 1/8" to 1/4" from top to bottom in Northern Indiana
1 Answer
This is likely a gall produced by a fly on a species of goldenrod. When the fly lays the eggs in the tip of the plant a hormone is produced that interferes with the normal development of the plant cells, forming that bulge which will protect the developing eggs and larvae. See for example this discussion.