1. Yellow Flag Iris

    Iris pseudacorus Yellow Flag Iris - Perennial invasive ornamental that grows 2-3 feet tall, is considered toxic to herbivores and contains a skin-irritating sap.Leaves: Broad, flat sword-shaped basal leaves that reduce in size going up the stemFlower: Multiple flowers appear at stem terminals, can be pale to dark yellow, have 3 sepals and 3 petals with its petals shorter than its sepals. Blooms visible May - July.Habitat: Grows in wetlands along the margins of lakes and slow moving rivers. It is most commonly found in shallow water or mud such as those in wet ditches.Weed Classification: C SelectWhy is it …


    Weed Control - Sept. 12, 2022, 12:12 p.m.

  2. Parrotfeather

    Myriophyllum aquaticum Parrotfeather - An escaped ornamental that is submerged until it grows long enough to reach the surface where it will then have emergent leaves. This plant has a unique highly hydrophobic property that allows its leaves to hold bubbles of air.Leaves: Featherlike with whorled formation of 4 to 6 leaves. The subsurface leaves are darker than the emerged leaves which are bright green and resemble little fir tree seedlings.Flowers: Inconspicuous whitish flowers found at the leaf axils of emerging stems during summer months.Habitat: Found in freshwater ponds, streams, lakes and rivers. Tends to be rooted in shallow muddy …


    Weed Control - Sept. 26, 2022, 11:33 a.m.

  3. Gorse

    Ulex europaeus Gorse - A thorny perennial shrub that closely resembles Scotch Broom and can grow to be 10+ feet tall.Leaves: Leaves are small, dark green and trifoliate — having 3 thin leaflets. As they mature, they become spiny. The leaf axils also have spines.Flowers: Flowers bloom April - September. Bright yellow pea-like flowers form clusters near branch terminals.Habitat: Can grow in most habitats, but is especially prevalent in coastal environments.Weed Classification: B DesignateWhy is it a Noxious Weed? Aside from "noxious" growth habits, gorse also creates large physical barriers and poses significant wildfire risk due to the concentration of …


    Weed Control - Sept. 29, 2022, 9:47 a.m.

  4. Oxeye Daisy

    Leucanthemum vulgare Oxeye Daisy - A perennial, herbaceous plant growing 1-3 feet tall.Leaves: Leaves are alternate and lance-shaped, with toothed or lobed edges.Flowers: Flowers bloom from May-October. Single flowerhead at the end of the stem. It has many white ray-flowers, creating the "petals," and yellow disc-flowers in the middle.Habitat: Found in grasslands, overgrazed pastures, waste areas, meadows, roadsides, railroad ROWs, yards, and fields.Weed Classification: CWhy is it a Noxious Weed?It can aggressively invade fields and decrease plant diversity. It decreases crop yield and has rhizomes with adventitious roots.Oxeye Daisy is very common in Lewis County. It can be hard to …


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

  5. Common fennel

    Foeniculum vulgare Common Fennel - A large perennial herb that grows to be about 6' tall, smells strongly of licorice, and spreads via seeds and pieces of the root crown.Leaves: Dark green or bronze feather-like, deeply lobed and somewhat spindly, the leaves are completely hairless and attachment points (petioles) are fleshy with a wide base.Flowers: In bloom from May to September, the small yellow flowers form an umbrella shaped cluster (umbel) and resemble those of poison hemlock and wild chervil.Habitat: Can establish in just about any habitat from roadsides, to prairies, to coastal bluffs, to wetland areas.Weed Classification: B DesignateWhy …


    Weed Control - Sept. 29, 2022, 9:46 a.m.

  6. Hawkweeds

    Hieracium spp. Orange Hawkweed Mouseear Hawkweed Hawkweeds - Most hawkweed species are hairy and have a milky latex in their stems.Leaves: Most species will have basal leaves. Stem leaves can vary by subgenus. Leaves can be smooth, toothed, or lobed.Flowers: Blooms typically May - Sep. Most non-native species will have yellow ray flowers, but some species can have orange flowers as well. Flowers looks similar to dandelion flowers.Habitat: Typically found in fields, meadows, pastures, forest clearings, and disturbed areas like roadsides and abandoned farmland.Weed Classification: B DesignateWhy is it a Noxious Weed?The plants are invasive, spread easily, and negatively impact …


    Weed Control - Sept. 29, 2022, 9:47 a.m.

  7. Class Bs of Concern

    The Class Bs featured here are either already found in Lewis County or have been confirmed in neighboring counties and are likely to be introduced. Weeds are often spread unintentionally through the movement of materials, such as hay, dirt, gravel, and woodchips. They are also brought in by pets, animals, floods, ATVs and other vehicles, and watercraft. Finally, many are brought in intentionally as ornamentals by those who are unfamiliar with the noxiousness of that particular species. It is very important to recognize noxious weeds so that you can have a better understanding of your risk of transporting seeds or …


    Weed Control - March 5, 2015, 1:44 p.m.

  8. Butterfly Bush

    Buddleja davidii Butterfly Bush - A profusely spreading deciduous shrub that was a popular ornamental and is now found throughout western Washington. The bush can reach 15' in height and has tall arching branches.Leaves: Usually 4-10 inches long and 1-3 inches wide, with toothed edges and opposite arrangement on the branch. The upper surface of the leaf is a deep green while the underside appears whiteish due to a dense covering of short fuzzy hair.Flowers: Flowers bloom from June-October. Showy spikes at the branch terminals can be 4 to 10 inches long. The small flowers are 4 petaled, bell-shaped and …


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

  9. Field Bindweed

    Convolvulus arvensis Field Bindweed - An herbaceous perennial with extensive rhizomes that help it creep through fields and over plants.Leaves: Arrowhead-shaped leaves that alternate along the stem. Leaves have two lobes at the base.Flowers: Flowers bloom from April-October. Flowers are bell or funnel-shaped and are about 1 inch across. They range from white-pink and have bracts (scales) where the flower stem meets the plant stem.Habitat: It grows anywhere from full sun to full shade and is drought tolerant. Found in ravines, greenbelts, forested parks, farmlands, driveways, flower gardens, and ornamental bordersWeed Classification: CWhy is it a Noxious Weed?Once established it …


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

  10. Knapweeds (Spotted, Diffuse, and Meadow)

    Centaurea spp. (stoebe, diffusa, and x moncktonii) Spotted Knapweed Rosette Spotted Knapweed Diffuse Knapweed Rosette Diffuse Knapweed Meadow Knapweed Meadow Knapweed rosette Spotted Knapweed - A biennial or perennial that typically grows about 5 feet tall and has a stout taproot. Is hairy with a rough and woolly appearance. First year rosettes and second year flowering stems.Leaves: Rosette leaves deeply lobed, upper leaves are generally un-lobed.Flowers: Flowers bloom from June-October. Solitary flowerheads. Egg-shaped plant scales (bracts) with a black/brown triangular tip that make the plant look spotted.Diffuse Knapweed - An annual, biennial, or perennial plant growing up to around 3 …


    Weed Control - Sept. 29, 2022, 9:48 a.m.