Spring has sprung – and so have noxious weeds

What to look out for this Spring

||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS |||

San Juan County’s Noxious Weed Control Program is preparing for spring weeds – and you should be, too!  The spring adage, “April showers bring May flowers,” could use an update in a fast-changing climate. With longer daylight, warm temperatures, and plenty of water, wildflowers and weeds alike are racing toward flower and seed production.

Invasive plants can be toxic or poisonous to pets or people, outcompete native plants, and dominate the forest shrub layer. It takes a community to manage invasive plants, and your neighbors appreciate your efforts to keep them from spreading. The ‘Noxious News Blog’ provides a few invasive plants to focus your eyes and efforts on in the next couple months:  

Poison hemlock

Poison hemlock plants are growing before our very eyes throughout the county, preparing to send a rigid, flowering stalk skyward. The lacey vegetation is beautiful, and highly toxic to people, pets, farm animals, and wildlife. 

Removal tips: 

• Do not mow poison hemlock or burn debris, as breathing in the vapors can be harmful. 
• Small infestations can be removed manually if you get them out by the roots while larger infestations may either be covered with a UV-resistant tarp or spot-treated using an appropriate herbicide.  
• Avoid snapping the top off, as the resolved root will simply try again.  
• It’s best to discard the vegetation in a plastic bag and take it to the dump for free disposal.  

Read more about poison hemlock and how to remove it in the Noxious News Blog: https://www.sanjuancountywa.gov/Blog.aspx?CID=4 

Spurge laurel

Spurge laurel thrives under shady canopies and has already been blooming for weeks.  Flowers are small, pale yellow, and tucked under thick, whirled leaves. While its berries might look tasty, they are toxic to people, as is the rest of the plant. 

Removal tips: 

• You may be able to pull small plants by gloved hand or weed wrench (contact us to borrow one). 
• Larger specimens are best dispatched by lopping off close to the ground and following up immediately with a dab of an appropriate herbicide on the cut surface.  
• Due to the toxicity of spurge laurel, it’s not advisable to mow plants or burn debris, as the vapors or smoke could cause irritation to the skin and lungs.

We’re Here to Help! 

We all need to do our part to look out for these invasive weeds and take action to keep their spread in check. If you think you have these noxious weed or others lurking in your spaces, but you aren’t sure, check out this ID guide or send us a photo by email:  noxiousweeds@sanjuancountywa.gov.  

Please be in touch if you’ve spotted these weeds (Noxiousweeds@sanjuancountywa.gov or 360-376-3499).  Our staff is available for no-cost site consultation or targeted herbicide applications, and we always try to lend a hand in neighborhood-organized work parties.  Read the full Noxious News Blog here: https://www.sanjuancountywa.gov/Blog.aspx?CID=4