Russian Knapweed

RK-NOXIOUS WEED ALERT

Click on link above for full brochure

 

NOXIOUS WEED ALERT

Chaves Soil and Water Conservation District
1011 S. Atkinson Roswell, NM 88203
Noxious Weed Coordinator
575-622-8746 ext 100

RUSSIAN KNAPWEED

KEY INFORMATION
Do NOT Plow, Bulldoze, etc.
Each root PIECE makes a new plant.
Heavy-equipment work SPREADS plants.
POISONOUS To Horses
Fatal if they eat 1/3 to 3/4 horse’s body weight.
Poison accumulates over horse’s lifetime.
Not poisonous to cattle, sheep, or goats.
Forms DENSE STANDS of nothing else.
Puts out chemicals preventing other plants.
Can expand outward 5 to 20 feet a year.
MUST kill ROOTS to kill the plant

Russian Knapweed on Wrangler road

DESCRIPTION
1 to 4ft tall, many slender branches.
Unusual blue-grey shade of green.
Once ‘know’ color, is easy to spot.
If left alone stands always get ‘thick’.
Established stands look ‘clumpy’.
Many flowers, all tiny & vase-shaped:
Buds white
Flowers lavender to pink, May-July
Goes to seed July-Sept (white then)
Roots usually black, 8 to 25 feet deep
Seeds viable 2 to 8 years

Control
Must Kill Root system
Can’t even leave one plant alive, or infestation will grow back. Start controlling as
soon as possible. Thin, new patches are easiest to kill. Wait too long, and it gets more costly.
CAN Kill ROOT System
1). Wear it out by REPEATED
pull or mow, 3-4 times a year,
for 5 to 10 yrs in a row.
If miss one time, plant recovers.
Must do at correct times of year.
Only practical for small sites.
2). Use herbicides, at right time of yr.
Still takes time, usually 2 to 5 yrs.
(60%-80% kill each year)
Chaves SWCD can advise which
Herbicides are best for your site.
(after weeds are dead)
SITE RECOVERY
Plant ‘good’ plants or crops,
Weeds love bare areas Crested Wheat good for knapweed recovery
Keep an eye out for weed ‘re-sprouts’.
IMMEDIATELY kill any that show up.
Keep watch for minimum of 5 years.
If ‘clean’ for 5 yrs in a row, probably ‘clear’.

CHAVES SOIL AND WATER IS HERE TO HELP
NOXIOUS WEED PROGRAM
We can help with such things as: GIVE US A CALL
-Identifying unknown plants, 575-622-8746
-Determining methods for control,
-Demonstrating proper methods,
-Getting you started on the right path.
We can:
-Provide herbicides
-Provide classes and information on obtaining chemical use licenses.
(Thanks to the Cuba Soil & Water Conservation District for allowing us to use their format for the weed alerts)

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