1. Kudzu

    Pueraria montana var. lobata Kudzu - A perennial trailing or climbing vine. It grows at a very fast rate and can easily take over an area if left unchecked.Leaves: Alternate and compound leaves with three oval shaped leaf sections.Flowers: Flowers bloom from May-June. Purple to reddish purple flowers clustered along a center stem that grows about a foot long. The flowers are similar to pea flowers and are fragrant.Habitat: Well drained eroded or degraded land or sandy loam soils in full sun.Weed Classification: AWhy is it a Noxious Weed?A highly aggressive plant that smothers anything in its path. It can …


    Weed Control - Sept. 29, 2022, 10:57 a.m.


  2. Yellow Toadflax

    Linaria vulgaris Yellow Toadflax - A perennial growing 8-31 inches tall from creeping roots. Forms colonies.Leaves: Many narrow, linear leaves up to 4 inches in length, alternating along the stem.Flowers: Flowers bloom from June-September. Many flowers crowd the top 2-9 inches of the plant. Flowers are yellow, hairy, and have orange "throats." Resembles snapdragons.Habitat: Grows in a variety of habitats, including: roadsides, edges of fields, rangelands, meadows, cultivated fields, and waste areas.Weed Classification: CWhy is it a Noxious Weed?It can easily invade range and farmlands outcompeting desirable crops/forage. Livestock will rarely eat the plant.Yellow Toadflax can infest cultivated land easily, …


    Weed Control - Oct. 6, 2022, 9:33 a.m.


  3. Bull Thistle

    Cirsium vulgare Bull Thistle - Biennial, herbaceous plant growing about 3-7 feet tall, with one stem.Leaves: Alternate, coarsely lobed leaves. Each lobe has a spiked tip. Top of leaves is rough with small spines, while the bottom has wooly hairs.Flowers: Flowers bloom from July-September. 1.5-2 inches across and are generally purple/pink (rarely white).Habitat: Primarily found in disturbed areas like pastures, roadsides, ditch banks, hayfields, prairies, and logged mountain areas.Weed Classification: CWhy is it a Noxious Weed?Bull Thistle tends to outcompete native vegetation and desired grazing forage.Bull thistle is commonly found in Lewis County. If you need control recommendations, please see …


    Weed Control - Oct. 6, 2022, 9:32 a.m.


  4. European Coltsfoot

    Tussilago farfara European Coltsfoot - a rhizomatous perennial that forms intricate colonies and grows up to 18" tall.Flower: Flowers bloom from March - May. The solid yellow flower looks somewhat like a dandelion, but on a stem absent of any basal leaves. The stems are unbranched and each produces a single flower.Leaves: Basal leaves emerge after flowers begin going to seed. They vary in size from 2-12" and grow from the rhizomes in rosettes. They also have a big variation in size and can be heart shaped, orbicular, or triangular, and have a narrow indentation at the base. The margins …


    Weed Control - Sept. 29, 2022, 9:45 a.m.


  5. Planned Growth Committee

    The Planned Growth Committee (PGC) is made up of the Mayor, or their designee, from each city in Lewis County and the Chair of the Board of County Commissioners. The PGC makes recommendations on population and housing allocations to the Lewis County Planning Commission before the Board of County Commissioners adopts the final numbers.The public is invited to attend the PGC meetings, which are on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 1:00pm. Please the see the Community Development Calendar for more information. There is a comment period at the beginning of each meeting where the public may address the …


    Community Development - March 25, 2024, 3:06 p.m.


  6. Slenderflower Thistle & Turkish Thistle

    Carduus tenuiflorus & Carduus cinereus Slenderflower Thistle Slenderflower Thistle Turkish Thistle Turkish Thistle Slenderflower Thistle - Grows up to 6.5 feet tall with loose hairs on the stem.Leaves: Leaves are 4-10 in. around the base of the plant with 6-10 spines. Leaves sometimes have light wooly hairs and get smaller as you move up the stem.Flowers: Flowers bloom from June-July. Clusters of 5-20+ pink flowers are usually found near the tops of the stems.Habitat: Dry open areas like pastures, ranges, right-of-ways, and areas of soil disturbance.Weed Classification: AWhy is it a Noxious Weed?Slenderflower thistle invades and spreads quickly on ranges …


    Weed Control - Sept. 29, 2022, 10:57 a.m.


  7. Tansy ragwort

    Jacobaea vulgaris Tansy Ragwort - An herbaceous plant that can either be a winter annual, a biennial, or sometimes a perennial. Mowing may cause the plant to grow like a perennial.Leaves: Twice divided leaves, with leaf stems at the bottom of the plant, but a singular, unbranched, stalk towards the top of the plant. First year Tansy will have a basal clump, and afterwards the leaves are alternate.Flowers: Flowers bloom from June - August. Somewhat flat-topped clusters of yellow disk and ray flowers. Flowers have bracts (scales) with black tips.Habitat: Commonly found in open, disturbed areas like roadsides, pastures, fields, …


    Weed Control - Sept. 29, 2022, 9:49 a.m.


  8. Parks

    Parks & Recreation (lewiscountywa.gov) Updates For interest in individual or group volunteering at one of our parks or properties,please contact our Lewis County Parks & Recreation Office.By visiting our Parks & Recreation (lewiscountywa.gov) page or by calling (360) 740-1495. About the Parks Schaefer County Park14 acres-Located one mile north of Centralia (on Bucoda highway/State Route 507)- Picnicking, Skookumchuck River access, covered shelter, hiking, volleyball court, playground, fishing, horseshoe pits, group picnic area. Gates and restrooms open Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. Day use only. South County Regional Park43 acres-Located one-half mile south of Toledo off SR 505 (212 Ray …


    Sept. 24, 2025, 10:12 a.m.


  9. Vector Control

    Vector control is any method to reduce or eradicate the carriers of pathogens (e.g. virus or parasite), of which animals are the carriers. Pathogen carriers include mammals, birds or arthropods, mosquitoes, and other insects. For more information, call Bill Teitzel at 360-740-1261.For all animal bites or exposures from an animal to a person, we recommend seeking medical attention and then filling out the Lewis County Animal Bite/Exposure Report and submitting to our office.If you have questions regarding an encounter with a bat or what to do if you find a bat please click on the link for Bat Exposure FAQ's.Public …


    Code Compliance - June 8, 2022, 8:43 a.m.


  10. Yellow Archangel

    Lamiastrum galeobdolon Yellow Archangel - Evergreen to semi evergreen plant that grows very quickly. It is mostly a trailing perennial, though it can grow upright if climbing other plants.Leaves: Opposite and oval shaped. Toothed and hairy typically with silver-gray markings.Flowers: Flowers bloom from April through June. Flowers are small, yellow, and two lipped. The upper lip is hooded, and the lower lip has orange/brown markings. Flowers grow in whorls.Habitat: Yellow Archangel can grow in shade or sunlight. Can sometimes escape people's landscaping into nearby forests, greenbelts, and riparian habitats.Weed Classification: B SelectWhy is it a Noxious Weed?Escapes easily from gardens …


    Weed Control - Sept. 29, 2022, 9:49 a.m.