Contents
PrefaceWeeds are responsible for reductions in crop yield and quality and they lead to environmental degradation through destruction of native plant and animal habitat. Weeds also harbour insects and diseases of crops, create unsafe conditions, reduce property values and the aesthetics of an enjoyable landscape and many can poison humans, livestock and wildlife. This field guide has been prepared to help farmers, ranchers, resource managers and the public identify British Columbia's noxious weeds. Some of the more common nuisance weeds that interfere with human activities are also detailed. Proper identification of problem weeds is the crucial first step in gaining knowledge about these troublesome plants so that a well planned control strategy can be developed. As an aid in separating noxious species, all weeds legislated under the B.C. Weed Control Act are organized alphabetically by most common name at the beginning of the guide. Weeds classified as noxious throughout the entire Province are arranged first, followed by weeds classified as noxious within regional boundaries. Other selected nuisance weeds are arranged alphabetically following the regional weeds. B.C. Weed Control Act
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Blueweed | Echium vulgare | Cariboo, Central Kootenay, Columbia-Shuswap, East Kootenay, Okanagan-Similkameen, Thompson-Nicola |
Burdock | Arctium spp. | Bulkley-Nechako, Cariboo, Columbia-Shuswap, Fraser-Fort George, Kitimat-Stikine, North Okanagan, Okanagan-Similkameen, Peace River, Thompson-Nicola |
Cleavers | Galium aparine | Peace River |
Common Bugloss | Anchusa officinalis | Kootenay-Boundary |
Common Tansy | Tanacetum vulgare | Bulkley-Nechako, Central Kootenay, Columbia-Shuswap, East Kootenay, North Okanagan |
Field Scabious | Knautia arvensis | Bulkley-Nechako, Kootenay-Boundary, Thompson-Nicola |
Green Foxtail | Setaria viridis | Peace River |
Hoary Alyssum | Berteroa incana | Kootenay-Boundary |
Hoary Cress | Cardaria spp. | Columbia-Shuswap, North Okanagan, Thompson-Nicola |
Kochia | Kochia scoparia | Peace River |
Marsh Plume Thistle | Cirsium palustre | Bulkley-Nechako, Fraser-Fort George |
Meadow Knapweed | Centaurea pratensis | Columbia-Shuswap |
Night-Flowering Catchfly | Silene noctiflora | Peace River |
Orange Hawkweed | Hieracium aurantiacum | Bulkley-Nechako, Cariboo, Central Kootenay, Columbia-Shuswap, East Kootenay, Thompson-Nicola |
Oxeye Daisy | Chrysanthemum leucanthemum | Cariboo, North Okanagan, Thompson-Nicola, Peace River |
Perennial Pepperweed | Lepidium latifolium | East Kootenay, Thompson-Nicola |
Plumeless Thistle | Carduus acanthoides | Central Kootenay |
Puncturevine | Tribulus terrestris | Okanagan-Similkameen |
Purple Loosestrife | Lythrum salicaria | Comox-Strathcona (by regional district bylaw) |
Quackgrass | Agropyron repens | Peace River |
Russian Knapweed | Acroptilon repens | North Okanagan |
Russian Thistle | Salsola kali | Peace River |
Scotch Thistle | Onopordum acanthium | North Okanagan |
Sulphur Cinquefoil | Potentilla recta | Columbia-Shuswap, North-Okanagan, Okanagan-Similkameen, Thompson-Nicola |
Tartary Buckwheat | Fagopyrum tataricum | Peace River |
White Cockle | Lychnis alba | Peace River |
Wild Chervil | Anthriscus sylvestris | Fraser Valley |
Wild Mustard | Sinapsis arvensis | Peace River |
Annual Bluegrass (Poa annua)
Baby's-Breath (Gypsophila paniculata)
Barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crusgalli)
Bladder Campion (Silene cucubalus)
Bog Rush (Juncus effusus)
Broad-Leaved Plantain (Plantago major)
Bull Thistle (Cirsium vulgare)
Common Chickweed (Stellaria media)
Chicory (Cichorium intybus)
Corn Spurry (Spergula arvensis)
Creeping Buttercup (Ranunculus repens)
Cudweed (Gnaphalium uliginosum)
Curled Dock (Rumex crispus)
Field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis)
Foxtail Barley (Hordeum jubatum)
Western Goat's-Beard (Tragopogon dubius)
Giant Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum)
Groundsel (Senecio vulgaris)
Hemp-Nettle (Galeopsis tetrahit)
Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule)
Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens glandulifera)
Field Horsetail (Equisetum arvense)
Japanese Knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum)
Lady's-Thumb (Polygonum persicaria)
Lamb's-Quarters (Chenopodium album)
Common Mallow (Malva neglecta)
Showy Milkweed (Asclepias speciosa)
Mullein (Verbascum thapsus)
Nightshade (Solanum species)
Nodding Beggar-Ticks (Bidens cernua)
Nodding Thistle, a.k.a. Musk Thistle (Carduus nutans)
Pineappleweed (Matricaria matricariodes)
Redroot Pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus)
Scotch Broom (Cytisus scoparius)
Sheep Sorrel (Rumex acetosella)
Shepherd's-Purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris)
Spiny Annual Sow-thistle (Sonchus asper)
St. John's-Wort (Hypericum perforatum)
Stinkweed (Thlapsi arvense)
Cluster Tarweed (Madia glomerata)
Water Hemlock (Cicuta douglasii)
Wild Buckwheat (Polygonum convolvulus)
Witchgrass (Panicum capillare)
The following agencies and individuals are gratefully acknowledged for providing photographs: B.C. Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries; B.C. Ministry of Forests; Washington State University; Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board, University of Idaho; University of Arizona; Mountainview Ecological Services; Michael Betts, Don Blumenauer, Bruce Brolley, Roy Cranston, Jack Freeman, Vippen Joshi, Bill McCloskey, Alistair McLean, Robert Needham, Rosamund Pojar, George Powell, David Ralph, Dave Riendeau, Ben Roche, Dean Swan, Loal Vance, Brian Wikeem, John Woods.
The information in this guide has been obtained from a number of sources including: Weeds of Canada, Weeds of the West, The Arable Weeds of Europe, Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest, Vascular Plants of British Columbia, The Thistles of Canada and The Biology of Canadian Weeds.
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