*IDENTIFICATION* Sulfur Cinquefoil ^(Potentilla recta)^ *APPEARANCE* A perennial plant with a woody rootstalk. It produces upright stems which can reach 2 to 3 feet tall. The stout, hairy stems end with small clusters of pale yellow flowers. The leaves are somewhat hairy and appear green on the undersides rather than silvery as in many potentilla species. - *The use of fertilizer, water and overseeding will encourage desirable grasses and native plants to grow quickly and crowd out this weed. *Hand pulling or digging before seed set and when the soil is moist is effective if care is taken to remove all of the root system. *Mowing is not an effective control method, as new shoots will quickly replace the cut stems. *Grazing animals, except goats, find this plant unpleasant and will not eat it. *No Biological Control insects are being used in North Idaho at this time. - *Treat in the...
*BOTANICAL NAME* ^Chrysanthemum leucanthemum ^ *WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?* A short lived perennial with daisy-like flowers that sit at the end of stalks that can be 1 to 3 feet tall. The flowers are made up of white petals with a golden center or “eye”. The glossy green leaves get smaller as they go up the stem. It is also known as Field Daisy, Marguerite Daisy, Poverty Weed, Mid-summer Daisy, and Dog Daisy. It grows very rapidly, crowding out more desirable plants. *WHEN DOES IT BLOOM?* Flowering occurs June through August. *HOW DOES IT SPREAD?* New plants can start from seed and also from the spreading roots. Small plants can produce 1,300 to 4,000 seeds per plant - Oxeye daisy often appears where the soils are low in pH and nutrients. Once established, oxeye daisy can rapidly take over the area, squeezing out all grasses and native plants. *NON-CHEMICAL CONTROL* >Do not allow the...
*BOTANICAL NAME* ^Convolvulus arvensis^ *WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?* A stubborn, low-growing perennial vine that has stems that twine and spread to form a mat on the ground or can climb up to 7 feet, blocking sunlight from other plants as it grows. Leaf size and shape varies but generally the leaves are one to two inches long, smooth, and shaped like an arrowhead. The petunia-like flowers and flower petals can be white to pale pink. *WHERE DO THEY LIKE TO GROW?* Brought in from Europe, field bindweed can be found growing anywhere there is strong sunlight and good moisture conditions. It will grow up and over anything in its path. - *WHEN DOES IT BLOOM?* Flowering occurs from late June until frost in the fall. New plants can begin from seed or from the creeping root system. *HOW DOES IT SPREAD?* Buds located along the root can send up new shoots, or establish a new patch when roots are cut...
*IDENTIFICATION* Blueweed ^(Echium vulgare)^ *APPEARANCE* A biennial that produces a rosette in the first year and tall flower stalks in its second year. The leaves and stems are covered with stiff hairs. The long dark tap root dies out after the second season. *HABITAT* Introduced from Europe, it grows best in sunny areas: meadows, overgrazed pastures, poorly drained slopes and roadsides. It usually will not do well in cultivated ground. *SEASON* The flowers are bright blue with hot pink stamens and bloom June to September. Blueweed spreads from seed. Most of the seeds fall to the ground near the parent plant, but the rough seeds can stick to clothing, animal fur, and feathers and be carried to a new site - >Early detection is the best prevention. Destroy plants before they become invasive. Cut,bag and destroy flower heads when they appear. >Digging or mowing plants throughout the...
*BOTANICAL NAME:* ^Euphorbia esula^ *WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?:* Leafy spurge is an aggressive perennial weed that can grow to 3 feet tall and up to 20 feet deep. It has bluish-green narrow leaves and showy yellowish green, heart-shaped leaves which surround a small flower. Stems and leaves ooze a milky latex sap when broken. This sap can seriously irritate the skin of people and animals, and can cause human blindness if rubbed into the eye. *WHERE DOES IT LIKE TO GROW?:* It can be found in any type of soil and is commonly found in rangeland, pastures, roadsides, waste areas and wetland sites. Although leafy spurge grows best in unmanaged sites, it will invade cultivated sites as well. *WHEN DOES IT BLOOM?:* Flowering begins in May and continues into the fall. *HOW DOES IT SPREAD?:* Leafy spurge seed capsules open exposively shooting the seed up to 15 feet from the parent plant. the seeds...
*BOTANICAL NAME:* ^Polygonum cuspidatum^ *WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?* This perennial plant forms large shrub-like clusters and can grow from 4 to 8 feet tall. The leaves are heart shaped with a flattened top and grow 2 to 6 inches long. The reddish stems are hollow, smooth and jointed, similar to bamboo stems. The plant dies back in the winter and the tall, dead, brown stems remain standing. Common names include: bamboo, Japanese bamboo, fleece flower and Mexican bamboo. *WHERE DOES IT GROW?* A native of Asia, Japanese knotweed was brought into the US as a garden ornamental in the late 1800's. Although it grows best in sunny moist areas, it can do well in a variety of soil types. It is often found along stream banks, roadsides, ditches, around home sites and in pastures. Once established, it can form very dense clusters. - *WHEN DOES IT BLOOM?* Drooping clusters of small whitish to...
*BOTANICAL NAME:* ^Verbascum thapsus^ *WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?* Common mullein, also known as woolly mullein, is a biennial. That means it forms a rosette during the first year of growth and in the second year, a flowering stem rises froom the deep taproot. the flowering stem can grow 5 to 10 feet tall. The plant is light green in color and the leaves are heavily covered on both sides with hairs giving them a "fuzzy" feeling. *WHERE DOES IT GROW?* Mullein will grow in almost any open area including open meadows and forests as well as neglected pastures and road sides. It prefers dry, gravelly soil. *WHEN DOES IT BLOOM?* Sulfur-yellow flowers appear along the tall flower stalk starting in late spring and continuing into the fall. *HOW DOES THIS PLANT SPREAD?:* Mullein reproduces entirely by seed. An individual plant produces 100,000 to 180,000 seeds. After dropping their seeds, the plant...
*BOTANICAL NAME:* ^Onopordum acanthium^ *WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?:* Scotch thistle is an aggressive plant which may form stands so dense that they create a natural barrier to livestock. Scotch thistle, a biennial, lives for two growing seasons. Seeds usually germinate in the late fall. During its first year, scotch thistle produces a rosette (a clump of leaves at ground level) with a thick, fleshy taproot that may extend down 1 foot or more. Early in the second year, the plant starts to form a flower stalk that can grow up to 12 feet tall. Leaves are large (up to 2 feet long and 1 foot wide), spiny and covered on both sides with fine woolly hairs, giving the plant a silvery-gray look. The stems have vertical rows of prominent, spiny, ribbon-like leaf material or "wings" that extend to the base of the flower heads. *WHERE DOES IT GROW?:* Scotch thistle thrives in sunny, moist areas along...
*BOTANICAL NAME:* ^Senecio jacobaea^ *WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?:* Tansy Ragwort is a biennial or under certain conditions, a short-lived perennial. As a biennial, tansy ragwort seeds germinate in late fall forming a rosette ( a clump of leaves at ground level). The rosette leaves are usually dark green on the top and whitish-green underneath and have a ruffled look. Early in the second year, the plant starts to form a flower stalk that can grow 2 to 4 feet tall. The leaf stalks and flower stems often are purplish. *WHERE DOES IT GROW?:* Tansy ragwort thrives in low-fertility soils, overgrazed pastures and disturbed sites. It often is plentiful in rodent-infested areas where mounding and scratching create disturbed sites perfect for the establishment of seedlings. This weed can grow in sun or shade. *WHEN DOES IT BLOOM?":* Tansy ragwort is a showy plant when it blooms. Numerous yellow,...
*BOTANICAL NAME:* ^Cichorium intybus^ *WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?:* A bushy perennial herb that reproduces only by seed. It has a parsnip-like root and bottom leaves that resemble those of a dandelion. The stem leaves are very small and the plant can grow to 6 feet. The plant is easily recognized by its sky blue colored flowers which open and close daily. Chicory is also known by several other names: blue daisy, blue dandelion, blue sailors, coffeeweed, cornflower and wild endive *WHERE DOES IT GROW?:* This plant was brought to the U.S. from the Mediterranean area for use as a salad green and a coffee substitute. It's cultivation in North America began in the 1700's and ended in about 1950 when it became more economical to import Chicory. The roots of Chicory are roasted, ground and used as a caffeine free coffee substitute. Chicory thrives along the sides of roads and highways. It can...
