Top Three Most Common Weeds in the West

When it comes to the West I would say that there are more weeds to be found than grass is growing. The California foothills are well known for their dry, hay like grass and the abundant amount of weeds, that spread across the plains and valleys like a virus with no cure. The weeds can survive and spread because they are able to adapt to the harsh, hot and dry climate in the Western states. Combating these types of weeds can be a daily struggle with no end in sight. Listed below are three of the most common and destructive weeds.

Spotted Knapweed
This weed is native to Europe and was brought to the United States in the early 19^th century, sine then this nasty little weed currently covers five million acres of land and pastures in Montana alone. Like the Kudzu in Georgia and the south, spotted knapweed is a killer, chocking out the native plant life with its harmful toxin known as Catechin (pronounced minus-CAT-e-kin). Spotted knapweed has become so troublesome that the local wildlife including the big Elk, have changed their migration route.

Star thistle or Maltese star thistle
This plant too was introduced to America from Europe and since its arrival, it has become a nuisance. This invasive plant rapidly reproduces by distributing its seeds from a small golf ball sized object that is carried by the wind. These things are more commonly known for their prickly spikes. I myself have stepped on a star thistle many times and have to say that it hurts horribly and soon after your foot starts to tingle, then goes numb for a while.

Tumbleweed, Pigweed or White Pigweed
Known by all of the above names this weed to is a bother, growing wildly across America. Once this round, bushy plant is mature and dry, it detaches from the roots and tumbles away in the wind; distributing its seed everywhere. Tumbleweeds are mostly found in desolate, dry desert conditions and can be carried for hundreds of miles away for its seeds to take root and start the process all over again.

These three weeds are the most difficult to contain and kill, due to the way they travel and the sheer number of seeds that are distributed by one plant makes controlling these weeds very difficult. The USDA Forestry Services scientists are trying to develop a poison that will kill these weeds and not the surrounding native plant life. Most poisons can kill these plants if you get to them before they start to seed, once these weeds seed, they are unstoppable.

References for this article came from www.plants.usda.gov and www.gardenguides.com