Teasel vs Purple Loosestrife
The DNR has begun a battle against a gorgeous roadside flower, Purple Loosestrife, that is also "invasive." Loosestrife beetles are coming to our neighborhoods, bred to munch on and kill these tall lovely magenta spikes that bloom in the ditches alongside our scenic roadways, with the hope to eradicate this rejected flowering plant. I believe it when the DNR says that even a pretty flower like this one can be one too many for WI ecology, BUT I feel there is an alien invader that is MUCH, much worse (and far uglier) that is not getting any press at all: TEASEL. You've seen these plants growing in great profusion alongside local highways and the freeway right up to the north side of Milwaukee. These plants are edging north farther each year, possibly due to climate change. To see it in Caledonia, look alongside Hwy.32 near the railroad overpass at Middle Road, where it is abundant south of the overpass, or farther north, an entire pasture of it at a farmette across from the spawling WE energies property. Look for almost colorless green tall spikes with a thistle head, bunched very closely together and speading so as to cover every inch of ground. Once you've identified it, you'll begin to see it everywhere, taking over native weedy plant habitat. Teasel is much worse than the worst of the thistles; its woody thorns make it supremely difficult to handle. I'd like to have the DNR work as hard to eradicate this useless, dangerous plant, as it is working to destroy the lowly and beautiful purple loosestrife. If anyone can make a case to keep and enjoy teasel and let it spread, I'd like to hear it.
Janet Monteith-wong
10:57 am on Friday, August 31, 2012
Hi Diana,
I agree the DNR should work as hard to rid Teasel from the environment as their effort to eliminate Loosestrife. In fact I wish they would try to fight all invasives, especially Garlic Mustard which is also proliferating at an accelerated pace along road ways. This means the out of sight destruction of our woodland understories caused by Garlic Mustard is also rapidly increasing and most people are unaware of this threat and unfolding tragedy. Many wildlife species, plants and the animals that depend on them, are going extinct due to Garlic Mustard. Buckthorn and other invasives also contribute to this increasing loss of native species. I think good old fashioned volunteering to clear invasives is best way to tackle this problem. Groups, such as scouts, religious or school groups could be enlisted to work with local authorities to form sustainable efforts to eradicate invasives from public land and road ways. We need to educate people that only through their stewardship of the land can our local ecological diversity be preserved. It is a heady realization, and hopefully an inspiring one for our youth and everyone to know, that we hold the survival of many species literally in our own hands, by pulling out the invasives. If you would like to discuss ways to foster the development of sustainable volunteer action groups to pull invasive species, let me know on my Facebook page. I already have an idea for the name of this organization! Sincerely, Janet Monteith-Wong
Diana Wagner Lesnjak
11:33 am on Friday, August 31, 2012
#Janet I agree with your perceptive comments. I just don't think teasel is getting the recognition it needs to halt the proliferation on our roadsides- it's taking over the (for the most part) innocuous weeds and shrubs along roadsides and in meadow/pasture areas- because it's a biennial it just carpets the ground and squeezes the rest out.