Region
Thompson Shuswap
HOW TO IDENTIFY?
- Young plants are reddish-purple on the underside of leaves, and at the base of stems.
- Has clusters of non-descript, green, bristly flower spikes, up to 20cm long.
- Pink or reddish taproot.
- Upright stems grow up to a metre tall, with angular branches.
IS THIS ANNUAL PLANT A PROBLEM?
- YES. It’s an edible plant in the Amaranth family. BUT spreads QUICKLY and competes with other plants.
- In some conditions it can accumulate HIGH LEVELS of nitrates or oxalates, and become toxic to livestock.
- Can cause allergic reactions.
HOW DOES IT GROW?
- Often found near lamb’s quarters.
- Grows in full sun in disturbed, moist, fertile soil.
- Seeds need light and a 15°C soil temp.
- Frequently grows in vegetable gardens; rarely found in lawns.
- Spreads by seed — typically produces between 10,000 and 30,000 seeds.
- Seeds can live in soil for up to 40 YEARS.
HOW TO CONTROL?
- It’s EASY to kill by weeding when young.
- Don’t let it go to seed.
- Cover seeds with mulch and leave them buried – DON’T till the soil.
Sources:
Colorado State University. Guide to Poisonous Plants.
Province of British Columbia. Guide to Weeds in British Columbia, 2002.
Royer, F. and Dickinson, R. Weeds of Canada and the Northern United States, 1999.
Image: Lynk media, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
PDF
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| REDROOT PIGWEED_0.pdf | 294.15 KB |