It’s the first week of August, the days are hot, and there’s one plant on every Noxious Weed Specialist’s mind: tansy ragwort (Senecio jacobaea). This biennial, regulated Class B noxious weed grows throughout King County, especially on open, sunny sites… Read More ›
Noxious weeds are sneaky. Each one has its trick for taking over: many spread by seed, while others use stem and root fragments, underground rhizomes, or aboveground runners. Anytime you’re out around a noxious weed, make sure you know how… Read More ›
With the Vashon Strawberry Festival coming up and the Unofficial Mayor Contest in full swing, Vashon Island might seem like an idyllic world of its own, separated from the rest of King County. In some ways, it is; but when… Read More ›
All over King County invasive weeds are on the move, growing in parks, gardens, roadsides, and many other places. Now is a perfect time to get outside, enjoy the sun, and eradicate them! Below are some important invasive and noxious… Read More ›
If you’ve made it outside on a recent sunny day, you’ve probably noticed the abundance of flowers blooming in gardens, parks, forests, and throughout King County right now. Unfortunately, the noxious weeds are out there, too—many of them bolting, flowering,… Read More ›
When noxious weed specialists Maria Winkler and Minwook Park drove down a quiet street on Vashon Island earlier this spring, they were alarmed to find a large, dense carpet of shiny geranium lining the road. It wasn’t the first time… Read More ›
Poison-hemlock, the toxic cousin of the carrot, is easy to spot in April. Look for the large mounds of bright green, lacy-looking leaves on stout, purple-spotted stems rising up above the grass. It’s important to recognize because poison-hemlock (Conium maculatum)… Read More ›
King County’s noxious weed specialists have their hands full this month and it isn’t going to get easier anytime soon. Top priority noxious weeds they are focusing on this month include garlic mustard, European coltsfoot, giant hogweed and shiny geranium…. Read More ›
As spring approaches, it’s a good time to reflect on what we can do this year to help the natural world here at home. Learning about and taking action to help stop the spread of invasive species is one great… Read More ›
There are three things I often hear about Scotch broom (or Scot’s broom, which may be the correct common name, but is not as commonly used). First, people tell me they hate this plant because they are allergic to it…. Read More ›
