Governor Ferguson has proclaimed March to be Washington Agriculture Month! Help us protect #agriculture in #Washington by removing noxious #weeds, planting non-invasive plants, using #herbicide responsibly, and reporting noxious weeds to your local county weed board.
Come visit us at the Washington State capitol building Invasive Species Awareness Week and get some free publications like our Garden Wise or field guide booklets!
#WashingtonState #ISAW #InvasiveSpecies #Gardening #Agriculture #PNW #Weeds
There is still time to register for any of the Washington Invasive Species Council's webinars next week! Each webinar will give free WSDA pesticide recertification credits too.
Come visit us at the capitol building on February 24th-26th!
invasivespecies.wa.gov/projects/inv...
#pnw
We are working with the Washington Invasive Species Council on Invasive Species Awareness Week again! Join a free webinar from February 23rd to 25th or visit us at the capitol building from February 24th to 26th!
invasivespecies.wa.gov/projects/inv...
#WashingtonState #isaw #InvasiveSpecies
Photo of lance-shaped green leaves growing out of water with a few white flowers growing from a stem at the center of the image. Each flower has 3 round white petals and green centers. Photo by Wesley Glisson.
Delta arrowhead, Sagittaria platyphylla, is now a Class A Noxious Weed in Washington State. This beautiful aquatic plant can heavily impact wetland areas and irrigation as it spreads throughout aquatic systems.
www.nwcb.wa.gov/weeds/delta-...
#AquaticPlants #InvasiveSpecies #PNW
photo of two leaves and several maple seed "helicopters" on a black background. Arrows pointing to the leaf tips say "sharp pointed lobes", arrow pointing to the leaf stem says "milky sap", and arrow pointing to the helicopter-shaped seed says "Glabrous (not hairy)" Photo by Oregon State University
Norway maple, Acer platanoides, is now a Class C Noxious Weed in Washington. This popular street tree takes a while to start to impact forests, but when it reaches sexual maturity they quickly outcompete native understory plants.
www.nwcb.wa.gov/weeds/norway...
#pnw #invasiveplants
www.nwcb.wa.gov/weeds/black-...
#WashingtonState #PNW #InvasiveSpecies #restoration #habitat
Photo of a drooping branch with bright green, oval-shaped leaves around a cluster of white pea flowers.
Black locust, Robinia pseudoacacia, is a common shade tree in Washington, but they readily infest grassland habitats. They are now a Class C noxious weed, which means you can keep your tree when you want it, but makes it easier for groups to get permission for removal when needed.
Photo of two green flowering stalks, one with spikes of brown-red inflorescences, and the other has green inflorescence spikes. The flowers are not showy, and you would not think they are flowers if you didn't already know that. Photo by Christophe Bornand
Waterhemp, Amaranthus tuberculatus, is a new Class A Noxious Weed in Washington for 2026. It has very similar impacts to agriculture as it's relative, Palmer amaranth. Neither are known in Washington currently, but we want to keep it that way!
www.nwcb.wa.gov/weeds/waterh...
Image of a hand holding a plant with a bright green stem and white flowers, above its pond habitat. Photo by Wes Glisson
Delta arrowhead is just 1 of 4 species up for listing discussion at our public hearing on Tuesday November 4th.
Other species are waterhemp, black locust, and Norway maple.
See our website (www.nwcb.wa.gov/whats-new) for information on how to provide testimony before or at the hearing.
#invasive
Photo of a green leafy plant on top of blocks of text, which read: News Release. Washington and Oregon issue recall for wild birdseed containing invasive quarantined weed seeds. Read the news release at agr.wa.gov . Washington State Department of Agriculture.
Palmer amaranth, Amaranthus palmeri, is a weed that causes massive losses to crop yields. It was recently found in certain Safeway bird seeds. These bags are now being recalled!
See WSDA's news release for more information:
agr.wa.gov/about-wsda/n...
#pnw #agriculture #birds #invasiveplants
Check out these model junior weed warriors! Spotted at the haul-out for kayaks going down the Deschutes River in Oregon, these two young ladies had recently harvested three bags of invasive knapweed. We absolutely love when the next generation helps spread the word about invasive species!
Close up photo of a star-shaped purple flower with 5 yellow stamens in the middle.
Photo of many silvery-green plants growing amongst brown grass.
Photo of a yellow cherry tomato-looking berry growing on a silvery-green stem with silvery-green leaves. Photo by Joseph M DiTomaso, University of California - Davis.
Photo of a purple star-shaped flower with 5 yellow stamens in the center, growing on the top of a lightly spiny silvery-green stem with silvery green leaves that also have a few small spines. Photo by Joseph M DiTomaso, University of California - Davis.
Silverleaf nightshade, Solanum elaeagnifolium, is a rare Class A noxious weed in Washington. It is toxic to eat, and causes a lot of negative impacts to crop yields. If you see it, report it to your county weed board!
#pnw #agriculture #invasiveplants
Photo of a leafy green plant with several large, yellow flowers growing at the top of its branched stems.
Bighead knapweed, Centaurea macrocephala, is probably our most recognizable invasive knapweed species. It has big, rounded, yellow flowering heads, and can grow over 5 feet tall!
It can grow in and impact a open areas throughout the state, from croplands to sub-alpine meadows.
#PNW #InvasivePlants
Photo of dense flowered cordgrass, Spartina densiflora, growing in a muddy estuary. The grass is tan and growing in tight bunches across the tide flat. Photo by Chad Philips.
Photo of a hand holding some green seeding stalks of common cordgrass, Spartina anglica. Photo by Chad Philips.
Photo of a brown flowering stalk of saltmeadow cordgrass, Spartina patens, held up against a white background. Photo by Chad Philips.
Close-up photo of a round brown stem, where the leaf blade attaches, of smooth cordgrass, Spartina alterniflora.
There are 4 species of Spartina on our noxious weed list. All invade our intertidal and salty estuary areas. They clone very well, pushing out native species, and impacts our delicate coastal wetlands. Eradication is difficult and expensive, so prevention is the best method!
#PNW #coastal #invasive
Photo of a plant with long green stalks and a mass of small yellow flowers on top, growing in a grassy field.
Close up photo of tiny yellow flowers on very tiny light green stalks.
Photo of the underside of a light green leaf growing from a stalk.
Photo of a cloud of tiny yellow flowers, with thin green stems out of focus behind them.
Dyer's woad, Isatis tinctoria, can be used to make an indigo-colored dye. It escaped cultivation and can be found pushing out desired plants in open and forested areas. It is allelopathic, meaning it changes the soil to make other plants growth more difficult.
#invasivePlants #pnw #conservation
Photo of a grass-looking plant with a bundle of cone-shaped inflorescences coming from the triangular stem.
Photo of a grass-looking plant, which is growing in an open wet area.
Ricefield bulrush (Schoenoplectus mucronatus) is an invasive wetland plant, which is especially bad for rice fields (very surprising with that name!) especially because of its herbicide resistances. It is very close to being eradicated in Washington!
#agriculture #wetlands #pnw #invasivePlants
Close up photo of several tiny purple stems covered in small purple flowers, with green leaves in the background. Photo by Larry Hudson, Okanogan County Noxious Weed Control Board
Zoomed out photo of the plant from the other pictures, showing the green to green-yellow leaves and long stems covered in small purple flowers, growing in a rocky open area. Photo by Larry Hudson, Okanogan County Noxious Weed Control Board
Zoomed in photo of the leaves of the plant from the other pictures. The leaves are green, have rounded teeth around the edges, and look slightly wrinkled. Photo by Larry Hudson, Okanogan County Noxious Weed Control Board.
Photo of the flowers from the other pictures, with a blue sky behind them. The flowers are slightly older and a lighter purple than the other pictures. Photo by Larry Hudson, Okanogan County Noxious Weed Control Board.
Meadow clary, Salvia pratensis, is a Class A noxious weed in Washington State. It invades rangeland and sagebrush steppe in Eastern Washington, outcompeting native plants and reducing forage for wild animals and livestock.
#InvasiveSpecies #PNW #weeds #agriculture #cattle #environment
Photo of someone holding a phone with an image of an invasive insect, the Spotted Lantern Fly, on the screen. Text reads "Exciting new update for our app! For both Android and iOS! Check it Out!
Our partners at the Washington Invasive Species Council have a big update on their app for reporting invasive species! Be a citizen scientist and help Washington protect our natural treasures by reporting invasive species when you see them!
invasivespecies.wa.gov/report-a-sig...
#PNW #ecology
Photo of a hillside of common ivy, with the trees at the top completely strangled by the ivy climbing up them.
Common Ivy (Hedera helix & H. hibernica) have been on Washington's Noxious Weed List since 2002. They are now on our prohibited plants list too! That means they are no longer allowed to be sold here!
To learn more about the listing process: kingcountyweeds.com/2023/10/18/n...
#PNW #invasiveplants
Photo of a yellow flower with 4 large petals and several stamens around the center. In the background are a tangle of green vines and narrow leaves.
Orange peel clematis, Clematis orientalis, is a vine that has the potential to be the Kudzu of the Pacific Northwest! The only known infestations of it are in Yakima county and are currently well on their way to being eradicated. Help us keep Washington orange peel clematis free by reporting it!
Photo of a conical bundle of several bright pink pea flowers with yellow spots.
Photo of several bright green leaves. Each is shaped like a duck's foot.
Photo of a huge amount of vines climbing and strangling a tree.
Photo of the pink flowers from the first image in this set, next to the duck-foot-shaped leaves from the second photo.
Kudzu, Pueraria montana var. lobata, is also known as the weed that ate the south. The few times it has been found in Washington it has luckily been found and eradicated. Help us keep Washington kudzu free by keeping an eye out and reporting if you see it!
#pnw #invasiveplants #edrr
Close up photo of a small sunflower, with bright yellow ray flowers making the petals around a dark red circle of disk flowers.
Texas blueweed, Helianthus ciliaris, is a small sunflower with a blue-ish hue to the leaves and stems. Though it is native to parts of North America, it is invasive in Washington, where it particularly impacts agriculture.
#PNW #InvasiveSpecies #sunflowers #botany
Photo of a very spiny plant with many frilly pink flowers clustered at the tops of spiny stems, standing in a green field. Photo by Thurston County Noxious Weed Control Board
Thistles can be difficult to tell apart!
Slenderflower thistle (Carduus tenuiflorus), a Class A Noxious Weed, are VERY spiny, tall, and have relatively small flower heads while also producing many flower heads on the top of each spiky stem.
They degrade open grassy and pasture areas.
#PNW #Invasive
Photo of a frilly plant that is fully submerged underwater. Each stem is long, thin, and flowing.
Photo of the same frilly plant, this time laid on a dry white background. The stem is long and thin.
In Washington it is illegal to transport invasive species, even by watercraft! For Clean, Drain, Dry Week, learn how to clean your watercraft between sites and protect Washington from invasive aquatic plants like Eurasian Watermilfoil.
invasivespecies.wa.gov/campaigns/cl...
#boating #kayaking #PNW
Infographic on how to identify different species of jewelweed. The left column of images images are of bright yellow trumpet-shaped flowers, labeled "Native species. Impatiens aurella, pale yellow touch me not. Impatiens ecornuta, spurless touch-me-not. Impatiens noli-tangere, Western touch-me-not." The right column is labeled "Non-native species" and starts with an image of a pink trumpet shaped flower labeled "Class B: Impatiens gladulifera, policeman's helmet" a pale yellow cone/trumpet shaped flower labeled "Class A: Impatiens parviflora, small-flowered touch-me-not" a pink and white trumpet-shaped flower labeled "Impatiens balfourii, Kashmir balsam" and a dark yellow and orange trumpet-shaped flower labeled "Class C: Spotted jewelweed, Impatiens capensis" There are arrows pointing from the spotted jewelweed and the spurless touch-me-not and pointing to text that says "Hybrid Impatiens x pacifica". Photos by Peter Zika
There are 3 species of invasive jewelweed on our noxious weed list, but there are also several native species of jewelweeds! Jewelweeds like to grow in wet areas, so check out your local wetland or riparian area for these species.
#PNW #invasivespecies #botany #conservation #habitat #biology
Macro photo of a fluffy yellow and black bumblebee on a bright yellow sunflower.
Happy World Bee Day!
While weed flowers can provide for pollinators, native plants can support a larger diversity of insects, including over 600 native Washington bee species!
#WorldBeeDay #agriculture #gardening #forestry #biodiversity #nativeplants
Photo of a very large old growth Douglas fir, with very unusually angled huge branches.
Photo of a field of wildflowers, golden paintbrush in the foreground, with a variety of yellow and purple species in the background
Photo of a field of wildflowers. Western buttercup in the foreground with a sea of purple camas in the background
Photo of a trail through a field of wildflowers, which are all lavender-colored camas.
Visit us, and lots of other organizations, on Wolf Haven International's prairie this Saturday, May 17th!
Learn about South Puget Sound prairies, endangered species, habitat restoration, and get exclusive access to a beautiful trail surrounded by flowers.
wolfhaven.org/events/
#PNW
Macro photo of a small frilly purple flower and two green flower buds being held up to the camera. Photo by Rich Old.
Common crupina (Crupina vulgaris) is a Washington State and Federally listed noxious weed. Their stems are inedible to livestock and wildlife, so they greatly degrade habitat and pasture when they form large infestations. These infestations also cause erosion.
#invasivespecies #ecology #ranching
Image of a flyer for an event. The event is an Invasive Species Workshop on May 14th, in Puyallup Washington. It costs $15 to attend and will provide 5 WSDA pesticide credits. In the center of the flyer is an aerial photo of Puget Sound, with several tree-covered islands and peninsulas in the foreground and a snow-covered mountain in the distance.
The Washington Invasive Species Council is holding the first ever Puget Sound Invasive Species and Exotic Pest Workshop.
This will be a valuable opportunity for professionals and the interested public to network, cross-train, and learn from their peers. Info:
invasivespecies.wa.gov/event/puget-...
