USDA
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Leafy Spurge - Priority 2B
Scientific name: Euphorbia esula

Leafy spurge has roots that can
grow as deep as 30 feet, and
<7 the stems can grow up to 3 feet
high. Seedlings (young plants)
resemble small pine trees. All
parts of the plant, when broken
off, leak a milky sap. Leaves and
stems are bluish-green. The flowers
are yellow-green color and arranged in
clusters with heart shaped yellow bracts,
leaf-like parts at the base, surrounding the flower.
Seeds form in capsules that explode when ripe,
launching seeds up to 15 feet away.

Leafy spurge tolerates extremely dry to extremely
wet soil. It can be found along waterways and
irrigation ditches, but is also found in draws and
sagebrush.

Interesting Fact

Leafy spurge is toxic to cattle and horses, but
grazing with sheep has been very good at
controlling it. Insects can also be used to control it.

Watch Out for Weeds

Houndstongue - Priority 2B
Scientific name: Cynoglossum officinale

Houndstongue leaves resemble a dog's tongue
in shape. They are soft and velvety to touch.
Houndstongue plants can grow up to 4 feet tall
and their flowers are reddish-purple in color. The
flowers produce small rounded seeds that are
often called burrs, The seeds attach to animals,
vehicles, and humans like Velcro. Houndstongue
plants usually die after making seeds. Each plant
can produce up to 2,000 seeds. ; fk.

Houndstongue plants like all a
types of soil. They can also be found 7)
in forests, grasslands, pastures,
meadows, and along roadsides.

Interesting Fact
Houndstongue carries a poison X NY:
that can kill livestock, but NY
animals won't normally graze on IN
it. Some people think the flowers

smell like popcorn.

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USDA
|

ACROSS:

3. Which weed
launches its seeds
up to 15 feet away?
(two words)

4. Which weed is
able to produce
140,000 seeds?
(two words)

5. We can tell how
big of a problem a
weed is to Montana,
by its

8. Which weed has
very soft leaves?
DOWN:

1. Which weed is
able to produce 3,000
seeds? (two words)

€roesswerd Puzzle

Watch Out for Weeds

3

Canada Thistle

Cheatgrass
8

2. Sheep and goats are used
to target on weeds.

6. The of a plant

carries water and nutrients

to the leaves of a plant.

7. What is another nam

ie

for a houndstongue seed?

Yellow
Starthistle

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Page 8

‘An Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer


USDA
—-_

Whe Bre the Invaders? Watch Out for Weeds

Canada Thistle - Priority 2B Spotted Knapweed - Priority 2B
Scientific name: Cirsium arvense Scientific name: Centaurea stoebe
Canada thistle can grow 4 feet high and can grow _— Spotted knapweed can grow from 2
roots as deep as 22 feet. Its leaves have spurs, inches up to 4 feet tall. Its leaves
and its branches are thorny. The flowers are pink are covered with fine hairs.

to purple and are either male Stems and leaves are a blue-

or female. Each male flower green color, but the hair on the

makes pollen, and each female leaves give the planta silver-gray

flower produces a seed that color. One pink to purple flower
is carried away by the wind. will grow on each stem. Spotted | \
One female plant is capable knapweed flowers are surrounded
of producing more than 3,000 by oval bracts, which are the leaf-
seeds every year. like parts at the base of the flower. The bracts
have black tips, which look like spots. One plant

Canada thistle is found in open can make up to 140,000 seeds.

areas but does not like to grow in
wet soils or in shade. It can be found in = Spotted knapweed can be found in moist or
empty fields, gravel pits and pastures, on dry conditions, and in shade or sunny areas. It
roadsides, by railroads, in lawns, gardens and prefers well drained or gravel/sandy soils.
agricultural fields, and near stream banks and

irrigation ditches. Interesting Fact

Spotted knapweed flowers are actually made

Interesting Fact up of many little flowers. If you count all the little
Canada thistle did not come from Canada. It was flowers, you will know exactly how many seeds
introduced in the 1600s from Europe. that whole flower will make. \

Y
Search and find the noxious weeds on the farm. Look on pages two, four, five and eight to see ~

examples of these weeds: Yellow Star Thistle, Purple Loosestrife, Orange Hawkweed, Field »
Bindweed, Cheatgrass, Canada Thistle, Spotted Knapweed, Leafy Spurge, and Houndstongue. : |

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USDA
—-_

See: When you are
outside, keep a lookout
for noxious weeds. You
can usually identify
them by their flower, but
you should also look at
their leaves, stems and
roots. Just don’t touch
them - some spread
their seeds by latching
on to people's clothes or
animal's fur, some have
thorns, and some might
even make you sick.

S.V.0.R. the Invaders

So how can we prevent these nasty invaders?
Just remember: See, Trace, Observe, Prevent. S.T.O.P.

Trace: Once you've

seen one noxious weed,

there will probably be
more around. Try to
trace the plant you
found to the biggest
group of noxious
weeds you can find.
Noxious weeds invade
an area by spreading
either underground or
by seeds, Plants that
spread underground
are called rhizomatous
plants.

Observe: Look around
at the area, and try to
make sure you know
some landmarks. If you
remember where the
noxious weeds are, you
will be able to find them
when someone comes
to control them.

Watch Out for Weeds

Prevent: To prevent
the spread of noxious
weeds, you need to
report them to the right
person. The county
weed coordinator,
extension agent, or
conservation district
is always willing to
offer help in stopping
the spread of noxious
weeds.

la

~
All of these words have PRIORITY HOUNDSTONGUE PETAL
something to do with ROOT FLOWER NOXIOUS
noxious weeds. Find and SEED GROW PLANT
circle them in the word STEM HERBICIDE
search puzzle. THISTLE KNAPWEED
WIND
LEAF
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S

Page 6


Wateh Out

fer Weedsl

ONRCS

Helping People Help the Land


USDA
Nexieus Weed Control Watch Out for Weeds

Let’s take a look at some different ways to S.T.O.P. the invaders.

+ Biological controls are things + Manual control is when you + Targeted Grazing is when you
like insects that feed on the pull or mow the weeds. let animals, usually sheep or
roots, stems, leaves, flowers, or Barning6at f control goats, eat all the noxious weeds.
seeds of noxious weeds. These oid oe Wp Quyoe F

where the area with the weeds + But the most important way to
types of controls help keep - : A :

is burned. This should only be control those pesky invaders is

noxious weeds from spreading,
becoming more invasive and
more competitive.

done for certain types of weeds, education. You now have all the
and should be prescribed by a tools you need to S.T.O.P. the
weed management specialist. invaders.

+ Herbicides are toxic

chemicals, which are applied Mow your way through
to the invasive weeds by weed the maze and help the CS
managers. weed manager control

the spotted knapweed. ©)

Start

Page 7


USDA
os Whot Bre Nexiews Weeds? Watch Out for Weeds

Not all plants growing at our homes or even in the wild are good plants. Noxious weeds are invaders.
They move into places where they should not grow. Noxious weeds are plants that some livestock
animals will not graze on, and some wildlife cannot eat. Noxious weeds take away water and nutrients
from good plants that we want. Sometimes noxious weeds can make the animals that eat them sick.

Vopes of Invaders:
Noxious weeds are grouped into priority (OR | ORI ip
categories. We can tell how big a problem

a weed is to Montana by its priority, and
also how we should manage them.

Priority 1A Priority 1B Priority 2A Priority 2B Priority 3
These weeds are =‘ There is a small These weeds These weeds These weeds are
not in Montana. amount of are common in are very problems in some
Our biggest these weeds in a few areas in common in most places, but not
priority is to keep Montana, We Montana. We of Montana. We everywhere. We
them out! want to, and can want to keep want to make want to keep them
get rid of them. them from them less of a out of where they are
spreading. problem. considered a problem.

Yellow Starthistle Purple Loosestrife Orange Hawkweed Field Bindweed Cheatgrass

is an example of a is an example of a isanexample ofa —_ is an example ofa Priority is an example of a Priority
Priority 1A weed. Its Priority 1B weed. Its Priority 2A weed. Its 2B weed. Its flowers are 3 weed. Cheaigrass is
flowers are yellow. flowers are purple. flowers are orange. light pink or white. green to gold in color.

Color in the Priority
dots to show the
spread of noxious
weeds on the map
of Montana. Color
1A dots yellow, 1B
dots purple, 2A dots
orange, 2B dots pink
and 3 dots green.

Page 2


USDA
—-_

Plant Facts!

Watch Out for Weeds

Look at the illustration on this page to find out more about the different parts of a plant.

All plants need
these seven

, RAW a
UN 7B
ia

YS (fa

Flowers not only
look pretty, but they
are important in making

things to grow: plenty
of space, the right
temperature, light,
water, air, nutrients,
and time.

Stems carry water
and nutrients to the
leaves and food to the
roots. Stems also provide
support for the plant allowing
the leaves to reach the
sunlight that they need
to produce food.

Roots
help provide
support to the

plant by anchoring

the plant to the ground.
They absorb water and
nutrients needed
So the plant will
grow.

=

Page 3

seeds. Petals are also
important parts of the flower
because they help attract
pollinators such as bees,
butterflies and bats.

Leaves are the food
making factories of
green plants. Leaves come
in many different shapes
and sizes. Leaves are made
to catch light and have
openings to allow water
and air to come and go.

(Unscramble the words on the )
left and match them with the
“plant” words on the right.
tawre leaves

wgor seeds
soinoxu roots
viasee flowers
emsts water
sorto grow
Ifswore light
esdse stems

\_ihtgl noxious )