September is the Time to Control Japanese Knotweed Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica) has been called a “nightmare” and a “botanical bully,” and is one of the 100 worst global invaders. These characterizations give you a pretty good idea of just how unwelcome this invasive weed is in our community. Japanese knotweed is fast growing and […]
August’s Weed of the Month: Puncturevine
Puncturevine (Tribulus terrestris) is aptly named! This invasive weed has spiny seed heads that can easily puncture a bike tire, inflatable raft, animal paw, or footwear. Be on the lookout because it is beginning to make its way into Clackamas County from eastern and southern Oregon. Also known as “goathead”, puncturevine is native to southern […]
Tansy Ragwort Poisons Livestock and Neighborly Relationships!
Tansy ragwort has long tormented rural landowners who graze livestock. Horses and cows are especially susceptible to this poisonous weed. In open fields, grazing animals will generally avoid eating tansy ragwort, but in heavily infested pastures they may have few other options. Contaminated hay is particularly a problem because it becomes impossible for feeding animals […]
July’s Weed of the Month: Tansy Ragwort
Tansy ragwort (Senecio jacobaea) is an invasive weed with a long and deadly history in the Pacific Northwest. In Oregon, it is designated as a Class B invasive weed. It is believed to have been introduced here in the early 1900’s through ballast water from a ship. This plant in native to Europe and […]
June’s Weed of the Month: Policeman’s Helmet
Policeman’s helmet (Impatiens glandulifera) is an invasive weed which grows in ditches, wetlands, and along waterways. Native to India, this fast-growing annual was introduced as a ornamental plant due to its impressive growth and the showy purple, pink or white blooms. Since introduction, it has escaped cultivation to become the dominate riparian vegetation in many […]
The new thistle you don’t want on your property!
We have plenty of thistles growing in our area and landowners across the region are working hard to combat these prickly invaders. While most of the thistles growing in our area are invasive, some of them are actually native. Unfortunately, a recent discovery from eastern Oregon marks the addition of a new invasive thistle to […]
May’s Weed of the Month: Orange Hawkweed
Orange hawkweed (Hieracium aurantiacum) is a relatively new invasive weed in Clackamas County. With your help, our team plans to keep it from becoming a common problem for landowners! A member of the sunflower family, orange hawkweed is native to central and southern Europe and grows in open areas like gravel pits, roadsides, meadows, pastures, […]
10 Ways to Celebrate Oregon Invasive Weed Awareness Week!
May 14-20 has been declared Oregon Invasive Weed Awareness Week! This is the one week of the year to reflect on the invasive weeds impacting Oregon and for us to begin taking steps to combat these aggressive and harmful invaders. What Are Invasive Weeds? When many people think of “weeds” they conjure images of common […]
It’s Native Plant Appreciation Week!
Let’s Celebrate! The WeedWise program is in the business of preventing and controling invasive weeds. As anyone that spends much time battling invasive weeds can attest, our work can feel a little daunting at times. We all have those days, when we are battling a rather pernicious patch of invasive weeds, and lose site of […]
Happy Earth Day!
Earth Day is this Saturday, April 22, 2017! Earth Day provides a great opportunity to reflect on the planet we all love and share. One of the biggest threats to our natural systems is from the threat of invasive species. The introduction and unchecked spread of invasive weeds disrupts food chains and can cause a […]