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 […]
We are very pleased to welcome the newest member of the WeedWise team! The WeedWise program is pleased to announce our newest staff member Courtney Gattuso! Courtney joins us our team as a WeedWise Specialist and as the new shared Coordinator for the 4-County CWMA and Columbia Gorge CWMA. This complex but rewarding position not […]
American Pokeweed The WeedWise program recently received a report of a new invasive weed in our area known as American pokeweed (Phytolacca americana). This observation comes to us from the city of Canby was it has been observed growing along a sidewalk. The affected landowner reported that the pokeweed grew rapidly to establish within one […]
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, […]
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 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 […]
UPDATE: This position has been filled and we are not accepting applications at this time. We are now accepting applications for a WeedWise Specialist & CWMA Coordinator position Clackamas Soil and Water Conservation District seek qualified candidates for a WeedWise Program Specialist/Cooperative Weed Management Area Coordinator position. All applications materials must be submitted to the […]
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 is native to Europe and Asia […]
