Noxious Weeds - Blog
Weed of the Month Blog
Welcome to the Noxious Weed Committee's educational blog. Each month, we feature articles about specific noxious weeds found in our community, with tips on identification, the problems they cause, and how to control them.
Our goal is to help residents understand why these invasive plants are harmful to our local ecosystem and what we can do together to stop their spread.
Select an article from the list to read educational content about noxious weeds and control methods.
Thistle & Tansey
Summer Weed of the Month
Happy Summer! We have Tansey and/or Thistle growing in our yards. To help you id what you have, the committee laid out a description of the three weeds that may be in your yard with links to pictures and how to eradicate them.
If you have these in your yard, please pull them out by the roots. The first year, at my home, I spent over 8 hours pulling weeds in my yard. Because I pulled them with the root, it now takes me less than an hour to walk slowly through my yard and pull less than 20 weeds each year. It really works and gets easier as you go.
If you have any questions or issues with weeds, please contact the Noxious Weed Committee. We are happy to help.
Tansey Ragwort
Yellow flowers grow in flat-topped clusters. Each flower has 13 petals with a daisy-like appearance. More info
Thistle (Bull)
Many flowers, 1.5 to 2" in diameter. Purple or pink-magenta flowers top each stem. More info
Thistle (Canada)
Flowers bloom in clusters at tip of stems. Petals are purple or pink. More info
English Holly
Noxious Weed of the Month
Happy Spring. We know it's many months before the holidays, however, it's a good time to talk about English Holly, as the plant is putting most of its energy into aboveground growth and there is no ripe fruit that will disperse.
We know many people love English Holly. It's a beautiful plant with distinctive leaves and berries, and wonderful to decorate with during the holidays. However, it is also highly invasive and can grow 15' to 30' feet high, create large root systems and spread quickly through an area.
We discovered a large area of English Holly (a.k.a. Feral Holly) on our HOA land, (SW Corner of development near Olga). We have a large area with English Holly as tall as 20' high covering about 15% of this forested area.
Why not let the English Holly grow on our HOA land? The problem is that it dominates the understory of Washington's native forests.
Why do we need to remove the English Holly in our yards: The birds eat the berries, which are dropped in several areas around the island. These berries can then sprout and grow more bushes and trees.
English Holly can be confused with Oregon Grape, a native plant to Washington. Oregon Grape is a great replacement for English Holly.
But I love my English Holly in my yard!
We know it looks festive during the holidays, with its dark, spiky leaves and bright red berries. However, it's not so jolly for Orcas plant life. Because we want you to continue to enjoy lots of berries and beautiful holly foliage, this article covers the issues with English Holly and potential replacement plants for it.
Issues with English Holly: It poses a significant threat to Pacific Northwest forests. It is shade-tolerant and thrives in dense forests of western Washington. It forms a dense undergrowth that can overtake native species.
Why isn't English Holly on the Noxious Weed List: Efforts to add it to the list have been blocked by a holly farmer who is on the WA State Noxious Weed Control Board.
What can I plant instead of English Holly?
- Meserve Hybrid Hollies (Blue Boy, Blue Girl, Blue Prince, etc.) - All grow 15-18' and easy to maintain as a hedge.
- Tall Oregon Grape - A native plant for screening in sunny areas. Grows to 8-10' with bright yellow blooms.
- Osmanthus or False Holly - Well suited for screening and hedges. Grows to 15' and is free of diseases or pests.
Contact Joanie Knipe at 480-215-1311 with questions.