The Scourge of Spurge Laurel Spurge laurel (Daphne laureola) is neither a spurge nor a laurel, but rather an invasive plant in the Daphne family. This perennial plant has poisonous berries, spreads aggressively in our native forests, and is increasingly being found in Clackamas County. Native to Europe, spurge laurel was introduced in Oregon as […]
A reality stranger than fiction Straight out of a script from a classic 1950s horror film, a local pond is mysteriously overtaken by multitudes of gelatinous brain-like blobs. These blobs appeared, seemingly overnight to dominate a pond, causing immediate concern from the affected landowner. It is not hard to imagine that if you found these […]
The Thorn in Our Side Himalayan blackberry (Rubus armeniacus) tantalizes us with its sweet fruits in the summer and tortures us with its prickly vines all year long. Also known as Armenian Blackberry, this wide-spread and aggressive weed is native to Armenia and Northern Iran. It is considered an invasive species in many parts of […]
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 hardy, […]
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 […]
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 […]
Get to know the WeedWise program, through our people! The success of the WeedWise program is in great part due to the hard work and dedication of our staff. If you have ever called the office or stopped by for assistance with your weed problems, you have undoubtedly worked with one of our hard-working […]
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 […]
It is National Pollinator Week! Join all of us here at the WeedWise program in celebrating our native pollinators. June 17-23, 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. […]
Help us welcome the newest member to the WeedWise team! The WeedWise program is pleased to announce our newest staff member Justin Cooley! Justin joined the WeedWise team in May and is already proving to be a valuable addition to our team. Prior to joining the WeedWise team, Justin managed the invasive species control program […]
