Spurge Laurel Purge

Day 299: I went out for a very short walk yesterday in our little county park, and was distressed to find that the Spurge Laurel (Daphne laureola) was alive and well. It's been several years since I found it and turned in a report to the Invasive Plant Council, and I would have thought the county would have taken care of it by now. However, this brought up another issue which has been bothering me for some time. In my personal contacts with various land managers in the area, I've been told several times that "we've never gotten any reports from the IPC." They've gone on to ask that I report directly to them instead, which I began doing with much better results. The land managers are grateful for the information and generally act swiftly when told about invasives in their domains. As I walked, these factors were brewing in my head, and as I came back into the parking area, I noticed a county worker spraying for blackberry on a hillside. I hailed him over and told him about the Spurge Laurel. He then took me to his supervisor, and the three of us went together so that I could show them where the plants were located. Once again, I was told that the county had never received a report of this noxious weed. It makes me wonder if any of my reports have ever been sent to the agencies involved. That said, the crew working in our little park assured me that there would be a Spurge Laurel purge as soon as they've done the research on how best to eradicate it.

Daphne Laureola, Spurge-laurel

Day 187: It's quite one thing to have knowledge of a plant's appearance from photographs and another to recognize it upon seeing it for the first time, moreso if it is in an unexpected location. With snow still on the ground but more Spring-like temperatures, I ventured out on an invasive species patrol in a local county park on Easter. I had not gone 25 yards up the paved trail until I stopped dead in my tracks. "Is that Spurge-laurel?" I said aloud. "Holy crap." I pushed a few blackberry briars aside to reach my target, took photos of it from several angles, both long shots and close-ups, and then just to be sure and despite a nagging memory that Spurge-laurel can cause contact dermatitis, I pinched off a six-inch flower-bearing sprig and popped it in my shirt pocket for further analysis. For the remainder of my mile-and-a-half walk, I kept waiting for my hand to start itching or to blister. When I got home a little over an hour later, I scrubbed my hands most vigorously. Apparently, I am not one of the unfortunates who reacts or else I did not get sufficient sap on my skin, but in very short order, I confirmed my suspicions: the plant was indeed Daphne laureola, a Class B invasive and poisonous even beyond skin irritation. Worse, I had found at least a dozen plants along the edge of a small wetland, and others may lie deeper into the woods. The Easter Bunny brings some people brightly coloured eggs. Me, he brings invasive plants. Thanks a lot, Bun.