Invasive weeds currently cost Oregonians millions of dollars each year. One recent estimate indicates that without intervention these will increase to $1.8 billion in personal income losses a year from degraded lands and reduced productivity. What is being done? A local effort is underway to help mitigate the impacts of these invasive weeds along the […]
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The Undesirable Beauty of Lesser Celandine
Each spring we welcome the return of abundant flowers and cherish them as they lift our spirits. Unfortunately, some of these beautiful plants have proven to be aggressive and ultimately highly unwanted. Look out for this one! One such menace is Lesser celandine (Ranunculus ficaria) which displaces more desirable plants in lawns, gardens, parks, and […]
Common Reed: How a Rooster Gave us Something to Crow About
It isn’t everyday that a weed manager feels the need to trade in their work boots for a day spent surrounded by home decor and scented candles. Remarkably, such was the case this week for WeedWise program manager Sam Leininger. Early in the week Sam was alerted to the possibility that a national retailer, Pier […]
January’s Weed of the Month: English Ivy
English ivy (Hedera helix) may conjure up images of cozy, country cottages, but don’t be deceived. This invasive weed can destroy buildings, poison pets, and topple trees. The very characteristics that made it a popular ornamental plant – grows quickly, requires little maintenance, provides a “no-mow,” evergreen ground cover — are the things that have […]
Happy Holidays!
Happy Holidays from all of us here at the WeedWise Program!
Year in Review: A WeedWise Annual Report
Another year in the books With the new year approaching, it is always good to take a moment to stop and reflect on our many accomplishments and challenges over the past year. Here at the WeedWise program we’ve been reflecting on the past year. To celebrate our accomplishments, the WeedWise Program has prepared an annual […]
Staff Spotlight: Samuel Leininger, WeedWise Manager
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 […]
December’s Weed of the Month: English Holly
English holly (Ilex aquifolium) is a popular evergreen frequently noticed during the month of December when festive decorators “deck the halls with boughs of holly”. For many people, the shiny, dark green leaves and red berries of holly are synonymous with the holiday season. This popular plant, however, is not native to Oregon. In fact, […]
November’s Weed of the Month: Spurge Laurel
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 […]
They’re Alive! Are these brain-like blobs growing in a pond near you?
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 […]