King County weed specialists recently responded to a report of a new forest invader called small-flowered jewelweed found along Novelty Hill Rd just east of Redmond Ridge. This central Asian species is a widespread invasive plant in European forests, but is still highly localized in North America. According to a 2013 USDA-APHIS report, it is being…
Buffalobur makes an occasional appearance in King County this time of year. It comes up in late summer when many other plants have already gone to seed or dried up in the heat. Buffalobur’s spiny leaves and flowers harm animals trying to eat it, and it can poison them if animals do succeed in eating it. The…
If it seems like there’s more tansy ragwort in your neighborhood this year, you aren’t alone. Tansy ragwort plants are larger and more numerous just about everywhere in King County. County weed specialists report seeing tansy ragwort in places it hasn’t been in over 10 years. And some of the plants have been enormous! We…
Effective July 24, the list of prohibited plants in Washington just grew by six. The species added include several popular ornamental plants that are now prohibited from sale: butterfly bush (non-sterile varieties), yellow archangel, lesser celandine and all hybrid non-native hawkweeds, including a type of orange hawkweed that was until very recently still being sold in…
Each year the King County Noxious Weed Control Program sponsors the Right Plant, Right Place program for students in King County. In the 2015-2016 school year, 36 classrooms of 965 students from 9 schools participated in the program. Through interactive games and group activities, students become aware of the impact of invasive plants on native…
In 1839, seeds of Impatiens glandulifera were sent from their native home in western Himalaya to the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, England. Within 15 years, populations had escaped and naturalized into the English countryside. By the 1900’s, the plant was widespread throughout England and Ireland. Today, it is considered one of Great Britain’s…
La hierba de Santiago es una maleza bienal, invasiva y tóxica de Europa que comúnmente se encuentra en pastos y a lo largo de los bordes de las carreteras. Enferma a los caballos y puede matarlos si comen una cantidad considerable. Esta planta también es venenosa para el ganado, ovejas, algunas razas de cabras y…
Tansy ragwort is an invasive, toxic biennial weed from Europe often found in pastures and along roadsides. It makes horses sick and can kill them if they eat enough of it. The plant is also toxic to cattle, sheep, some goat breeds and people. Even though animals tend to avoid it, they can eat enough…
Source: Washington State Conservation and Recreation Office Press Release, June 14, 2016, http://rco.wa.gov/doc_pages/press/2016/156.shtml. Contact: Susan Zemek, susan.zemek@rco.wa.gov, 360-902-3081, TTY 360-902-1996. OLYMPIA – As the school year comes to a close, the Washington State Invasive Species Council is asking teachers and parents not to release classroom pets, insects, fish or aquarium plants into the wild. “Most of the classroom animals released…
Poison-hemlock met its match last month in the volunteers of the Goat Hill Giving Garden in downtown Seattle. On May 5, volunteers met with noxious weed specialist Mary Fee to learn how to identify and remove poison-hemlock plants that had popped up near the garden. Noxious weed garbage bags were soon filled with poison-hemlock, protecting…
Giant hogweed has earned a fearsome reputation due to its massive, striking appearance and its ability to cause horrible blisters if you get the juice on your skin. June is the month hogweed plants typically reach their full size of 10 to 15 feet tall. Mature plants form large bulb-like structures on the tops of…
