Fri, 25 Jul 2008

Rattlesnake Weed
The photo shows a "weedy" member of the aster family called Rattlesnake Weed. So named because it grows where rattlesnakes live. Why it is so happy in my backyard is the question. I don't think I have or ever have had a rattlesnake infestation. I hear a lot of wildlife noises in my backyard: birds tweeting, cats meowing, dogs barking, crickets creeking, locust doing whatever it is they do to make noise, but never have I heard a rattlesnake rattling. Anyway, it does produce a cute little yellow aster-like flower and it has nice dark green, mottled, low growing foliage. The problem is that it is very invasive. It produces a lot of airborne seeds, much like a dandelion. It is also a perennial. The combination means it spreads quickly and takes root firmly. I have been mowing it down before the seeds get a chance to form in the hopes of controlling it without resorting to chemical control. Those chemical controls make me feel like the Snidley Whiplash of gardening - somewhat cruel and damaging.


posted at: 20:57 | path: /peggy2008 | link for this entry

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