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 1900s through ballast water from a ship. This plant is native to Europe and Asia […]
Herbicide Residue in Manure, Hay, and Compost
What is Herbicide Residue? In recent weeks, the Oregon Dept of Agriculture announced the discovery of contaminated soil and compost materials from an herbicide known as clopyralid. This contaminated material was distributed to gardeners in the region causing significant damage to garden plants and landscapes. This unfortunate event helps to raise awareness of the persistence […]
It is National Pollinator Week!
It is National Pollinator Week! Join all of us here at the WeedWise program in celebrating our native pollinators. June 22-28, 2019 has been designated as National Pollinator Week and there are activities going on here in Oregon and across the country! Summer is here and the weeds and wildflowers are blooming all around us. […]
June’s Weed of the Month: Policeman’s Helmet
Policeman’s helmet (Impatiens glandulifera) is an invasive weed that grows in ditches, wetlands, and along waterways. Native to India, this fast-growing annual was introduced as an ornamental plant due to its impressive growth and the showy purple, pink or white blooms. Since introduction, it has escaped cultivation to become the dominant riparian vegetation in many […]
10 Ways to Celebrate Oregon (and National) Invasive Weed Awareness Week!
May 16-23 has been declared Oregon (and National) 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 […]
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, […]
It’s Native Plant Appreciation Week!
Let’s Celebrate! The WeedWise program is in the business of preventing and controlling 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 bothersome patch of invasive weeds and lose sight of […]
Newly discovered organic herbicide shown to be safe and effective against all invasive weeds!
Invasive weeds can be extremely damaging and pose a real threat to the social, economic, and ecological health of our communities. One important tool for controlling large infestations of invasive weeds is herbicides. Herbicides have been used to manage large infestations of invasive weeds since the 1940s, but their use is problematic for some growers. […]
