Broadleaf

Pokeweed (Common)

Life Cycle: Perennial

Propagation: Seed

Scientific Name: Phytolacca Americana

Also known as pokeberry. A large plant from 3 to 10 foot tall. Has thick red-purple stems and braches with purple to black berries that cluster similar to grapes. Leaves are oval and generally larger at the bottom of the plant. The stem will change color but remain through winter until next spring when it will finally decay. All parts of the plant are poisonous to people, cattle, swine, and equine. The stalk density makes this weed very good at grounding out electric fences.

Wingstem

Life Cycle: Perennial

Propagation: Seed, Rhizomes

Scientific Name: Verbesina Alternifolia

Also known as yellow ironweed. Typically 3-8 foot tall with a cental stem that is unbranched and with four wings radiating from it the length of the stem. The leaves alternate and are serrated at the edges. Yellow flowers are clusteed at the top of the plant stem.

Ragweed (Common)

Life Cycle: Summer Annual

Propagation: Seed

Scientific Name: Ambrosia Artemisiifolia

This plant is the primary cause of hay fever and produces a lot of pollen. Ragweed is errect and branching with a height between 1 and 6 feet. The leaves are dissected, or the edge move in and out making lobes. I this case many fine lobes with a pointed shape. It emerges from May to June. High soil temperatures will not allow it to germinate (86F).

Ironweed (Tall)

Life Cycle: Perennial

Propagation: Seed, Rhizomes

Scientific Name: Vernonia Gigantea

Also known as giant ironweed. Can grow over 7 feet tall. The stem has a dark reddish color. Leaves are dark green and long coming to a sharp tip. The veins in the leaf are visible and very pronounced. The leaf edge has small thorn like teeth. It is widely branched at the top when mature. Flowers from July to October. Flowers are purple, but can be reddish-purple. Tends to grow in areas with good moisture. Ironweed earned its name from its touch stem and difficult being dug up.

Milkweed

Life Cycle: Perennial

Propagation: Seed, Rhizomes

Scientific Name: Asclepias Syriaca

Also known as silkweed. The plant will bleed out milk when the stem is snapped. Purplish to pink flowers appear from June to early August. Know for its characteristic large teardrop shaped seed pods with long silk that move seed with the wind. The plant can emerge from root buds after over wintering. Plants prefer well drained soils and do not tolerate frequent mowing or conventional tillage.

Thistle (Bull)

Life Cycle: Biennial

Propagation: Seed (Wiindblown)

Scientific Name: Cirsium Vulgare

Bull thistle is well known for prominent spines, when flowering it grows 2 to 5 feet tall and is branching. Thistle flowers in the second year. In the first year the plant is in the rosette stage and lies very low to the ground, almost flat. The leaves are tough, and have cob-web like hairs (prickly hair on the topside, and wooly hair on the bottom of the leaf). It flowers from June to October. It produces a solitary head at the end of braches.

Bladder Campion

Life Cycle: Perennial

Propagation: Seed, Pieces of Cut Crown, Rooting of Low Underground Branches

Scientific Name: Silene Vulgaris

A difficult species to control in pastures because of the lack of leaf surface. Crossbow at 2 quarts per acres only has a 41% control. Grazon P&D has 58% control using 4 quarts.

For a more in depth description please see: www.weedinfo.ca/en/weed-index/view/id/SILVU

For more information on effective herbicides, please see: pubs.ext.vt.edu/427/427-002/427-002.html