13 May 2009

Big Green Nemesis

A little research on solanaceous weeds has revealed the identity of the nasty thorny thing that has taken up residence between the irises and the pond.

Carolina horsenettle. Solanum carolinense L.

It's prickly, poisonous, and perennial. To that alliterative list we can add prolific, as each berry can contain up to 200 seeds. It's also resistant to pesticides (not that I use them) and (and!) normal good garden management practices do not deter it. One agricultural extension website I read even said it becomes aggressive when disturbed. It's considered a noxious weed in seven states.

In short, I have the vegetative equivalent of a junkyard dog in my garden. Awesome.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...