Invasives
Spotted Knapweed (Centaurea stoebe)
Spotted knapweed, previously known as Centaurea biebersteinii, is a biennial or short-lived perennial. Its name is derived from the spots formed by black margins on the flower bract tips. Spotted knapweed typically forms a basal rosette of leaves in its first year and flowers in subsequent years. Rosette leaves are…
Tree-of-Heaven (Ailanthus altissima)
Tree-of-heaven, also known as ailanthus, Chinese sumac, and stinking shumac, is a deciduous tree in the mostly tropical quassia family. Mature trees can reach 80 feet in height. Tree-of-heaven has smooth stems with pale gray bark and twigs which are light chestnut brown, especially in the dormant season. Its large…
Wall Lettuce (Mycelis muralis (L.) Dumort.)
Wall lettuce is a slender annual or biennial herbaceous plant. The smooth, erect stems grow from fibrous roots. Stems are 2–3 feet tall and branch near the top; when broken, they exude a milky fluid that can irritate the skin. Leaves at the base of the stems have deep, pointed…
Water Chestnut (Trapa natans)
Water Chestnut is a rooted, aquatic plant with both floating and submersed leaves. The floating leaves form a rosette and are green, glossy and triangular with toothed edges. The submersed leaves are feathery, and are found whorled around the stem. Plant stems are cord-like and can attain lengths of up…
Wild Chervil (Anthriscus sylvestris (L.) Hoffm.)
Wild chervil, also called cow parsley, is an herbaceous biennial that grows 3–4 feet tall. The hollow stems are branched and covered with soft hairs. The compound, alternate leaves are fernlike—each leaf is divided into leaflets that are also divided. Plants have long taproots that grow up to 6 feet…
Wineberry (Rubus phoenicolasius Maxim.)
Wineberry is a deciduous shrub that grows up to 6 feet tall. The arching stems (canes), petioles, flowering stems, and buds have a dense covering of reddish, gland-tipped hairs and a few slender prickles. Leaves are alternate. Each leaf is made up of three leaflets; the terminal leaflet is much…