- Author: Travis M Bean
Invasive plants don't get much coverage in the news, especially at the state and national level. As I've argued previously, this lack of media attention is a problem when it comes to motivating the public and political players into proactively funding invasive plant management and mitigating impacts to human health, infrastructure, and natural resources. Admittedly, as a weed scientist, I'm biased on the issue.
However, sometimes there is a particular plant that is just so terrifying that it lends itself to coverage in a major news outlet, as was the case for this article about giant hogweed (Heracleum...
- Author: Guy B Kyser
Was happy to hear a Cap Public Radio story this morning about poison hemlock (Conium maculatum). I had some thoughts on the report.
1) Poison hemlock is not native to Nevada, as the story suggested... it's a European weed (think Socrates). Maybe the writers heard "naturalized".
2) People don't normally get violently ill just from touching poison hemlock. (I wouldn't roll around in it, though, and I would wash hands after touching it.)
3) Emphasize, emphasize, emphasize the purple spots on the stem! (Hence "maculatum".) That's how you can...
- Author: Guy B Kyser
There is already a wall on our southern border, apparently, made of arundo (giant cane). This NY Times feature discusses US - Mexico cooperation in tackling the giant grass. Great pictures, too.
Arundo is also a big deal in California. Locally, it is one of the target species in the Delta Regional Areawide Aquatic Weed Project.
- Author: Guy B Kyser
Saw a nice article about a gall fly soon to be released for control of Cape ivy. Our old friend Baldo from CDFA started work on this in 2001, so it's been a while coming. Cape ivy is our version of kudzu, at least along the coast.
- Author: Carl E. Bell
- Re-posted by: Gale Perez
From the Invasive Plants in Southern California blog :: Nov. 22, 2013
Hi All. In my last blog the subject was about what I had learned regarding the use herbicides as a tool for effective passive restoration of CSS and native grassland habitats. As an Extension Advisor my job is to not only develop new information, but to also try to move it forward into practice.
In this case that means educating land managers and related professionals on how to efficiently and accurately apply herbicides to large areas. That's what the Cooperative Mule is all about, so sit back, I hope...
