Eurasian Collared-Dove

Day 307: The history of the Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) in the United States is fascinating and a bit disturbing. They were unknown in this country until the early 1980s when, following a burglary of a pet shop in the Bahamas in the mid-70s, a number of the birds escaped. The store owner subsequently released the remainder of the flock (about 50 birds), and by the mid-80s, they were showing up in Florida. In the 35-40 years following, they spread throughout the United States and into Canada, an astonishingly rapid spread. While they are most commonly seen in cities, I have one or two which mingle with the Mourning Doves, and at first glance, one might mistake a Collared-Dove for a washed-out Mourning Dove, however, when the bird extends its neck, a dark "collar" appears, the feature which gives the species its common name.

Brasenia Schreberi, A Navigation Hazard

Day 330: Brasenia schreberi is a native species. I thought it was best to settle that point right at the top of this discussion. The common name "Watershield" is more than justified by its ability to cover the water so completely in ponds and slow-moving streams. I was out on an invasive plant patrol on Swofford Pond yesterday, dismayed by having found a large patch of Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis) even before I had the 'yak off the car. I shouldn't have been surprised. The plant had established beside the boat ramp, undoubtedly transported there by someone who failed to wash down their water-craft before launching in another lake. That's how many aquatic/riparian invasives are spread: careless hygiene and the "doesn't-mean-me" attitude so prevalent in these pandemic days. I was hoping the invasive might be confined to that one area, but my hopes were dashed when I found it on the little island straight out from the ramp, and then again at a shoreline location. I struggled to pilot the 'yak through the Brasenia so that I could waypoint it with my GPS, often gaining no more than an inch with a paddle stroke. After several such forays, my shoulders objected and I decided instead to make a note in my report that "Jewelweed occurs at multiple locations along the shoreline." Sometimes you just can't get there from here.

Crow, Queen Of Weeds

Day 313: Just call me "Queen of Weeds." Yep, got another one. However, you might notice that these photos were shot using my velvet "studio background" as opposed to in a natural setting. Nevertheless, the plant was alive at the time. Punchline? It was in my yard. It popped up under one of my bird feeders one day, close enough to my flower bed that I only glanced at the foliage and assumed it to be a stray Cosmos, but as the plant grew taller and a few Cosmos volunteers started appearing in the garden, I was less convinced. I decided I'd let it stay until I could identify it, thinking to do so from its flowers. At three feet tall (still paralleling the Cosmos), cone-shaped heads began to form. "Nope, that is definitely not a Cosmos," said I, and set to work to put a name on it. As luck would have it, it turned out to be Common Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia), a weed whose pollen causes allergic reactions in a large number of people. I suspect that it was inadvertently included in commercial bird seed and subsequently rejected by a discriminating diner. And to think I'd been so tenderly cultivating it! At least I managed to dig it out before it bloomed and set seed.

Galeopsis Tetrahit, Common Hempnettle

Day 308: For all of its name being "Common Hempnettle," Galeopsis tetrahit was not known to occur in Pierce County until yesterday morning. Yep, I found it while I was out for a walk. The "up" side of this story is that I can add another check mark to my growing tally of rare and unusual plant sightings. The "down" side is that this one is a weed, and an invasive one at that. However, it also provided me with an opportunity to submit a voucher specimen to the Burke Herbarium, the first one I have ever made for WTU. As I once told Arnie, it's against my religion to pluck a plant from the wild, but in the case of an invasive, I'll make an exception. I made a second trip out to collect it, and it is currently drying in my plant press. What I had not realized until it was too late was that the plant was in seed. As I dug it out, it released dozens of them onto the ground. I'll need to monitor this site for the next several years to ensure that Galeopsis doesn't take hold in the county.

Ready To Roll On Weeds

Day 237: Once again this year, the Invasive Plant Council honoured me with an award for being one of their top three volunteers. I was asked to pick my prize from one of three items, and opted for a Patagonia "Black Hole" day-pack worth (gasp!) $129. It has convenient sleeves in the interior to hold various small items, one of which will be used to contain the brochures I hand out to land managers when appropriate. I've already put in several patrols this year. While I can't exactly claim to enjoy finding invasive species, having my time and effort recognized in this fashion softens the aggravation and annoyance of discovering large patches of Yellow Archangel, acres of Knapweed and patches of Poison Hemlock or concentrations of any of the other "baddies" on the state's blacklist. I treat them when possible: pulling, digging out or clipping seed heads as recommended for each individual species, or if the situation is obviously beyond the scope of one person's ability to handle, filing a report with EDDMapS for referral up the chain. Say 'bye-bye,' you weeds! Crow is coming to get you.

Convolvulus Arvensis, Field Bindweed

Day 319: If you've ever walked through a field or even a patch of grass where this rhizomatous perennial weed grows, you will understand why it's called "Bindweed." Convolvulus arvensis is related to Morning Glories and as such, is a twining, tough vine which is resistant to breakage when one is trying to free one's ankle from its snare. Although it has a flower smaller than that of Morning Glory, it is similar in shape and may or may not be striped with pink. It is quite difficult to eradicate once established as I can testify; it still crops up occasionally in my yard and in the Barren Wasteland where I believe it was introduced in a package of commercially-marketed "wildflowers for Pacific Northwest gardens." It is certainly not the only weed I've found in those packets. California poppies are a popular addition, and they are becoming an issue in some areas of Washington where they are crowding out native species. As for the Bindweed, it has an extensive root system and is impossible to dig out. The best means of attack is to pull it regularly and often to prevent the plant from being able to photosynthesize.

Cichorium Intybus, Chicory

Day 304: Cichorium intybus (Chicory) is considered an invasive in Washington and is commonly found in compacted soils such as those found in vacant lots and other waste areas. Its narrow, woody stems may grow to three feet in height. Its roots can be roasted and ground for use as a coffee substitute, although because it is rather bitter, the product is best tempered with some real grounds. For me, however, this plant's attractive sky-blue flowers overshadow its undesirability, and each year when it comes into bloom, my lens is drawn toward them. A closer look reveals petal tips which look as if they were cut out with a faerie's pinking shears, accented by banded and striped stamens. As much as I know I should, I can't bring myself to hate it, invasive or not.

Verbascum Blattaria, Moth Mullein

Day 304: Moth Mullein (Verbascum blattaria) is a non-native species and in some states (notably Colorado) is listed as an invasive. In my limited experience with it, it has not been difficult to eradicate and in fact, if growing in an area where taller grasses abound, it will "shade out" (die off from lack of light) before it becomes a problem. It was introduced to the North American continent from Eurasia and has been reported in every state with the exceptions of Minnesota and Wyoming. It is a biennial, flowering in the second year from seed. Quoting Wikipedia, "In a famous long-term experiment, Dr. William James Beal, then a professor of botany at Michigan Agriculture College, selected seeds of 21 different plant species (including V. blattaria) and placed seeds of each in 20 separate bottles filled with sand. The bottles, left uncorked, were buried mouth down (so as not to allow moisture to reach the seeds) in a sandy knoll in 1879. The purpose of this experiment was to determine how long the seeds could be buried dormant in the soil, and yet germinate in the future when planted. In 2000, one of these bottles was dug up, and 23 seeds of V. blattaria were planted in favorable conditions, yielding a 50% germination rate."

Mission Impossible

Day 295: Invasive Knapweeds (Centaurea species) are spreading rapidly across western Washington, but I was still surprised to find them in such abundance along Hwy 12 above Packwood, and horrified to see a monoculture covering approximately an acre at the junction with Hwy 123. These are lands administered by WSDoT (Washington State Department of Transportation), as I noted in my report to the Invasive Plant Council. Come on, Washington! Do your part to control these plants while there's still some hope of eliminating them!

Much of the time, it's difficult to identify a Knapweed as a specific species because they hybridize readily and any particular plant may be a genetic stew. That said, the key to identification is in the scales of the involucre (the "cup" of bracts from which the petals arise). The manner in which each bract terminates is crucial; some may be fringed or have papery margins which others may narrow down to a single point.  When fringe is present, it may be sparse or abundant, or it may be brown, black or white. It may be modified into spikes, as is the case with Yellow Starthistle. Between scales and flower colour, a reasonable guess at the genetics of a hybrid is possible if a specific species can't be singled out. In the case of the Hwy 12/123 population, they seem to be largely Centaurea diffusa (left) and C. stoebe x diffusa (right). As I got closer to Packwood, C. stoebe became more prevalent, leading me to conclude that C. diffusa is in migration across White Pass from eastern WA where it has been problematic for decades, now hitchhiking to new territory in tire treads and mud caked on the undercarriages of vehicles. Y'know, now that I think about it, maybe I ought to wash my car more often to prevent unwitting transport of invasive species.

A Love-Hate Relationship

Day 285: Almost anyone who drives back roads (paved or otherwise) in western Washington will recognize these two flowers. They may only know them as "daisies" and "poppies" rather than Oxeye Daisies and California Poppies as wildflower aficionados will, and fewer still will be able to apply the proper scientific nomenclature Leucanthemum vulgare and Eschscholzia californica.

(Pause here for a second. You have to love the word "Eschscholzia" for having six consonants in a row. That even beats "Schwarzschild" of astronomical fame. Now, back to the lecture...)

Both Oxeyes and California Poppies are non-native species and, because of their propensity for establishing monocultures by crowding out native plants, they are both considered invasive. Still, it's hard to hate anything which delights the eye so enthusiastically, and it's at times like these that I question what constitutes a pernicious pest as opposed to a plant which is simply expanding its range into an area which lacks effective bio-controls. Doesn't it seem logical that as global temperatures rise, Eschscholzia would move into higher latitudes? Admittedly, Leucanthemum took the boat across the Atlantic along with another aggressive invasive (western Europeans), so who can point and call it nasty names without fear of the finger being pointed back at them?

As much as I love the cheer these two species impart, the gardener in me is compelled to yank them as soon as I spot their foliage in my flower beds. Invariably, at least one Eschscholzia escapes my eagle eye until it pops out orange and sunny. After thirty years, I've not been able to eliminate the subsequent generations from an envelope of "mixed wildflower seed" I threw out in the Barren Wasteland, nor the obnoxious and unlovely Yarrow which came in another packet. Always keep in mind that something easy to start may not be quite as easy to stop.

Knapweed Update

Day 261: Update: I have heard back from the King County Weed Board. Bighead Knapweed is regulated and they've forwarded my letter to the WSDA Nursery Inspection Program. They advise, "They are the agency that regulates the quarantine laws of the state and I think this would fall under that. Bighead knapweed is sometimes sold as a cut flower by market flower vendors so it’s possible that is the source for the restaurant. The flower growers often get the seeds online and don’t know the state quarantine law. We sometimes find flower growers in King County growing it in the farms and have to explain the law to them."

The Usual Suspects

Day 163: My starting point isn't shown on this map, being some miles off to the left, but the coloured pins indicate locations where I spotted the Usual Suspects in my invasive-plant patrol of the 1300, 1330 and 2500 Rds., areas which I had not previously covered. The species are common: English Holly (Ilex aquifolium, of particular concern to Pack management), Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) and Tansy Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea). Invasive though they may be, the state requires control of only one of them (Tansy), and that because of its potential to kill livestock and therefore, its economic impact. It's always about the money. Always.

Let me explain a little about the classification of "noxious weeds" (read, "invasive plants"). Washington state classifies them in three categories: A, B and C. Class A plants are recent invaders. They haven't been here long enough to be a major problem, but they have the potential. Class A noxious weeds must, by law, be controlled by property owners. Likewise, Class B invasives by law require control, but they are species which are already prevalent in some portions of the state. The guiding methodology in this case is to work toward eradication while limiting their spread to other unaffected locales.

Now we come to Class C noxious weeds like Digitalis and English Holly. They are quite widespread and very common. Control of these species drops from state jurisdiction to that of individual counties. Control may or may not be required. Most counties opt for a program of education, i.e., offering land owners the opportunity to learn more about the harmful effects of these plants on the overall ecology. Yeah, right. We all see how well that's working, don't we? Even Pack Forest (part of the University of Washington's forestry program) has been disinclined to take appropriate steps to eliminate these weeds.

The war against Class C invasives can be won, although it may seem like trying to dip the ocean dry with a teaspoon. For example, if every person in the state removed one dozen Himalayan Blackberry plants, it wouldn't make a dent in the overall view. Still, organizations like the Nisqually Land Trust have been quite successful in clearing Himalayan Blackberry from many of their properties with the help of volunteers. While Pack Forest has focused on ridding their sustainable-forestry plots of English Holly, they're allowing Tansy and Digitalis to spread unchecked along roadsides and in clearcuts. Their lack of environmental responsibility makes me angry. I'd expected better of my neighbours.

Imported Nuisance

Day 148: Sturnus vulgaris, aka the Common Starling, European Starling or English Starling, was introduced to North America in the late 1800s. Some accounts (possibly apocryphal) attest that they were brought into the US in an attempt to populate the nation with every species of bird found in the writings of William Shakespeare; what we do know for certain is that the first successful releases were of roughly 60 birds in New York and another 35 in Oregon. Their numbers have now multiplied to the millions across the country, causing Sturnus vulgaris to be listed as an invasive species. While they were initially believed to be helpful in reducing insect infestations on crops, now they may be re-evaluated as contributing to the decline in insect populations where they occur.

That said, the little buggers are ... well, "pretty" is too benign a term for a pest, so let's call them "cute." During the breeding season, the coruscating sheen of their purple-black feathers is broken up by white flecks (more pronounced on females). Their legs are pink, their beaks yellow in mating season. They are accomplished mimics, although their usual chatter is noisy and tuneless, and they waddle when they walk. It's been difficult for me to get a good photo of one because here, they've learned that human presence in the person of one of my neighbours means a substantial, shotgun-effected reduction in their numbers, making them quite skittish and flighty at the sound of an opening door. I had a split second to make this "field guide" shot before the little lady took off for the high hills.

Harmful And Invasive Species

Day 140: Today, I have a little quiz for you. The first question is easy: What species has done more to harm its native habitat than any other? Yep, you got it: Homo sap, for whom I would like to propose new nomenclature, i.e. Homo insapiens, the "unwise man."

I'll need to give you a little background before posing the second question. An invasive species is one which creates negative impacts on the environment into which it has been introduced. This can take a number of forms. It may establish a monoculture, snuffing out native species, sometimes to the extent of extinction. Invasives may reduce biodiversity by out-competing native organisms for limited resources. Invasives may permanently alter habitats and ecosystems by disrupting the natural controls which previously maintained a balance between endemic populations. Invasives are usually fast breeders with strong adaptive characteristics. Invasives are frequently biogenic vectors for disease.

Now for Part Two of the quiz: Name a non-native species common to North America, South America and Australia which has proven destructive to endemic populations on all the points listed above. Did I hear anybody suggest those horribly harmful Western Europeans? Go to the head of the class.

Identifying Arctium Lappa

Day 8: There are two species of Burdock in Washington state, Arctium lappa (Large Burdock) and Arctium minus (Small Burdock). These plants originated in Europe and Asia where they were cultivated for their edible roots. Both species have become problematic outside their native regions and are considered invasive here. They like nitrogen-rich soils, so I was rather surprised to find two specimens in the forested area where I was hiking yesterday. Since the heads needed to be disposed of in a manner which would prevent the seeds from developing (something which may occur even after a plant has been uprooted), I bagged them and brought them home. This also allowed me to examine the plant so I could determine which species I'd found. Arctium lappa's petioles (the "stem" connecting the leaf to the main stalk) have distinct ridges as shown in the inset; those of A. minus do not. As I've seen on the Nisqually Land Trust's Ohop Valley property, Large Burdock can turn into a ten-foot tall bush. Fortunately, the two specimens I removed were only 12-18" in height, but both had numerous burrs. The trail on which they were found is open to horses, so I am inclined to think that the species was inadvertently introduced to the area by burrs or seeds carried in a hoof or saddle blanket. Many invasives are spread by accident; hikers should always "de-seed" their clothing and boots before entering a new area.

Tanacetum Vs. Jacobaea

Day 352: When people hear the word "tansy," they may be referring to plants of either genus, Tanacetum or Jacobaea. Both are toxic to livestock and contain volatile oils which may cause contact dermatitis in sensitive individuals, and both are considered invasive. The plants are easy to tell apart, especially when in bloom. Tanacetum vulgare (Common Tansy, top) has no ray flowers; Jacobaea vulgaris (aka Senecio jacobaea, Tansy Ragwort, bottom) does. The leaves are also distinctly different, although those of Tansy Ragwort can be highly variable, especially when young. The foliage of Common Tansy is fern-like; that of Tansy Ragwort is similar to that of radishes left too long in the garden, and forms a rosette. In Washington, the introduction of Cinnabar Moth (Tyria jacobaea) as a biological control has been fairly successful in reducing the occurrence of Tansy Ragwort, the caterpillars' primary food source. Once they have decimated an infestation of Ragwort, the caterpillars cease reproducing and therefore cannot become a secondary concern.

Evil Weeds - Jewelweed

Day 330: Native in some parts of the United States, Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis) is considered invasive in the Pacific Northwest, and rightfully so. Just in the years I've been working with the Invasive Plant Council, I have seen it take over acres of wetland within two or three years from the time of the first observation. It is often found along lakeshores and river banks, factors which contribute to the dissemination of the seed. Where it is accessible, it is easy to remove by pulling, but locations where it occurs should be monitored closely for several years in order to eliminate any latent sprouts.

Invasive Bullfrog

Day 278: I would not have thought I had it in me to dislike a frog, but Rana catesbeiana (American Bullfrog) has given me reason to re-evaluate my position. No doubt about it, this invasive species is impacting our native frog population as well as populations of other amphibians. In fact, they have even been reported to eat birds. They are wary and fast, active and predacious both day and night, sometimes coming onto shore to hunt. Aside from out-competing native species, this exotic may also be a vector (host) for diseases which affect native amphibs. The good news is that they are primarily a lowland species. This large specimen was observed outside Eatonville. To the best of my knowledge, they have not been reported inside the Park.

The Jewelweed From Hell

Day 268: Honestly, this is not a huge jewelweed stem as adult plants go, but what makes it exceptional is the fact that it was growing in my lakeside friend Jim's well-kept yard, and fairly near the water's edge. As many times as I've sat with him at the base of his rockery, I don't know how I could have missed it. In any event, he invited me up for lemonade (his house sits about 40' above his dock), and as he walked me back down to my kayak, I spotted the plant. The killing instinct is strong when it comes to a few species, and I stooped on it like a hawk on a mouse, screaming "Aaaaaaagggggh! Jewelweed!" as I did so. Poor Jim must not have known what to think as I took hold of its 1" stem and began pulling, hoping to get the roots from under an overturned boat. I wasn't entirely successful, but deprived of its leaves and its remaining roots under cover, it's possible the plant will die. Jim's puzzled, "What is it?" gave me the opportunity to educate, and with any luck at all, he'll make his neighbours aware of this rapidly spreading invasive. I'll need all the help I can get.

Fame Or Notoriety

Day 264: Shortly after Arnie began his present tour of duty at Mount Rainier National Park, he jokingly assigned me the task of finding plants previously unrecorded within our boundaries. More than once now, he's had occasion to say, "I was kidding! I didn't think you'd take me literally!" when I have shown him a new species or a new location for a particular plant. Not all my finds have been joyous, though, and this year, my fame as a plant sleuth is verging on notoriety, an ungratifying turn towards the negative end of the spectrum. Earlier this year, I found our first Teasel, a nasty invasive.

Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) is my latest addition to the list of Park plants. A few days ago, I found a single specimen of this garden relative of Common Tansy growing in disturbed soil. I left it where it was, waiting for orders from Arnie when he returns from leave. Further complicating matters, the base of the plant is surrounded by roughly a hundred specimens of Anemone lyallii, a plant known to occur in only a few places in the Park. The Feverfew will have to be handled in such a manner that the A. lyallii is disturbed as little as possible. If that wasn't enough, close by, the alders were losing their leaves to Cottonwood Leaf Beetles and several young Douglas firs were coated with Woolly Adelgids, two more issues I'll be serving to Arnie's already-full plate. I am reminded of that old Chinese curse, "May you live in interesting times." It's definitely been an interesting week.