There are few flowers so intensely flame-colored as orange hawkweed. This plant truly deserves one of its common names, Devil’s Paintbrush, both for its fiery colors and for its devilish behavior as a noxious weed in North America. When orange… Read More ›
Weed Identification
King County is seeking volunteers to help protect lakes and hiking areas from invasive weeds
Summer is a wonderful time to relax on a lake or take a hike in the mountains. Now you can enjoy the outdoors and help protect nature at the same time by watching for and reporting invasive species. King County… Read More ›
Learn about noxious weeds at upcoming classes in April and May
Spring is when our attention turns to weeds. Plants are popping up everywhere and it’s hard to know if it’s a good thing or a disaster waiting to happen. If you enjoy learning and are curious about noxious weeds and… Read More ›
Yellow Archangel – April 2019 Weed of the Month
Yellow archangel (Lamiastrum galeobdolon) stirs up a lot of passion for some people, usually very negative. It is one of the plants we get the most questions about, either because it is spreading like crazy or because it has mysteriously… Read More ›
Spurge Laurel – February 2019 Weed of the Month
Spurge laurel (Daphne laureola) may have escaped your notice so far, or you may have written it off as a weird-looking rhododendron. It isn’t a true laurel and it certainly isn’t a spurge, but rather it is one of many… Read More ›
Poison-hemlock control now required on public lands and roads in King County (and Weeds of Concern list grows by two)
At the 2019 Weed List Hearing held on January 23, the King County Noxious Weed Control Board added poison-hemlock to the list of regulated noxious weeds for King County, with control required on public property and public rights-of-way in cities and… Read More ›
Help test the new smartphone app for reporting noxious weeds in King County
UPDATE Feb 15, 2019: The app is now available for both Apple and Android devices! For more information, see King County Connect mobile app Do you live, work or explore the outdoors in King County? If so, we could use… Read More ›
King County Weed Board to consider poison-hemlock status change at 2019 Weed List Hearing
On January 23, the King County Noxious Weed Control Board is holding its annual weed list hearing, including a proposal to make poison-hemlock a regulated noxious weed, with control required on public lands. The Board welcomes public input on this… Read More ›
English Holly – December 2018 Weed of the Month
English holly’s red berries and beautiful, glossy green leaves evoke warm, holiday cheer for many. Unfortunately, we are also becoming all too familiar with seeing this plant along hiking trails and in out-of-the-way forests. Sadly, English holly is beginning to… Read More ›
Control weeds in the fall to reduce work next year
In the cool, autumn months after the rains start up again, there is a window of opportunity for controlling many weeds. Digging and even hand-pulling is very effective in the fall when the soil loosens up with the rain and… Read More ›