Toxic or invasive plant of the month--Giant Hogweed.

[greybeard]

Not exactly a common plant here, but because it is toxic and because I found 3 in a clump on my property yesterday, it's my pick for August.

I found these growing yesterday and had to look them up. First ones I've ever seen here. Interestingly, these particular ones have no leaves at all, just a stalk coming out of the ground, tho all the others I've seen elsewhere did have leaves of some kind. Spider lily.. I think the exact variety is hymenocallis liriosme . I'm told, the leaves, that look similar to the common amaryllis only show up after the bloom has died.
All parts of the plant are considered toxic to dogs, cats, horses and cattle due to alkaloids. Not really a lily but a member of the amaryllis family.

screen shot
There is a red flowering plant similar to this, but is a completely different critter.
In Japan, it's seen around graves, along rice patties to kill rats and all over cemeteries. Known as the Dead Man's plant or the Hell plant. I've seen it in the US in more than one state. lycoris radiata
Toxic as well.

 

[animalmom]

@greybeard, thanks for the info... I've always wanted some spider lilies but since they are toxic I've struck them off my list. It would be nice if nurseries would advise folks if something is toxic. I planted three hellebore plants and then found they are toxic. They are still here only by virtue of their location not being anywhere the goats are allowed to go.

 

[RollingAcres]

Thanks for the info GB.

 

[Donna R. Raybon]

Yes! I would avoid any form of castor bean!! Old timers grew them to have poison for moles, mice,etc. I have never planted any here, but 22 years ago when we moved they were here. One will germinate now and again and as soon as I see it I kill it.

 

[greybeard]

Yes! I would avoid any form of castor bean!! Pls timers grew them to have poison for moles, mice,etc. I have never planted any here, but 22 years ago when we moved they were here. One will germinate now and again and as soon as I see it I kill it.

Years ago, I decided that any wild or ornamental plant that came with a bean, pod or had bean in the name was to go on my kill list.
mimosa--castor-Mexican bean-senna-mesquite.

My wife insisted on bringing a mimosa home from her mother's place and planting it in the yard. Every year, I make her go out with a pair of scissors and snip every bean off the plant while it's still green and burn them. Told her. "When it grows so tall you can't reach the beans, it gets cut down and the stump treated with herbicide."
She knew i was serious and she's been keeping it pruned back this year.

 

[Baymule]

I see those white lilies along the side of the road and I have some of those red spider lilies. I always liked the red spider lilies, but now, not so much. I try to keep toxic plants away, I sure don't go planting any mimosas either, GB, I like them, admire them--on somebody else's property!

 

[greybeard]

Weed of the month for October is a North American native...Common Sida, commonly referred to in my area as tea weed and ironweed, tho all varieties of Sida are an invasive pest that are very difficult to get rid of, even with most common herbicides. Sida rhombifolia L.
Other common names:
arrow leaf sida, arrow-leaf sida, arrowleaf sida, big Jack, bloom weed, broom weed, broomstick, coffee bush, common sida, country mallow Cuba jute,, Cuban jute, flaxweed, Indian hemp, jelly leaf, jellyleaf, Paddy's lucerne, Pretoria sida, Queensland hemp, rhomboid ilima, shrub sida, sida retusa, sida weed, sida-retusa, teaweed

This plant usually shows up from the pre-existing seedbank, on disturbed or bare ground and in poor soils tho will also readily grow in rich soils if seeds find their way there.

Other varieties and related plants around the world include,
flannel weed (Sida cordifolia)
spinyhead sida (Sida acuta)
spiny sida (Sida spinosa)
spiked sida (Sida subspicata)
spiked malvastrum (Malvastrum americanum)
prickly malvastrum (Malvastrum coromandelianum

Most Sidas have a relatively long taproot and during anything but the wettest soil conditions are very difficult to pull up. The stems, tho thin, are wiry, fibrous and very very tough, hard to cut and take a lot of abuse without dying. The stems are usually less than 3/16" diameter but even at 1/8" dia and less, are all but impervious to most weedeater line. This, is a plant that has evolved to survive in the harshest of environments.
When at the 3 leaf stage (young plant) it can be treated with herbicide successfully or pulled up relatively easy. For a plant beyond 3 leaf stage, herbicides like glycosphate will turn the leaves yellow and retard growth and seedhead production but usually will not kill the plant itself. Remedy (Triclopyr) has virtually no effect on mature or medium mature plants.
Toxicity comes from ephidrine, (which, among other side effects, affects heart rate) Saponin, and alkaloids and ingestion of the plant's leaves has been reported as causation of cattle deaths.

 

[Mike CHS]

I haven't seen any of those around our place and hope that continues.

What we have here also called - Giant Ironweed:

 

[Baymule]

Weed of the month for October is a North American native...Common Sida, commonly referred to in my area as tea weed and ironweed, tho all varieties of Sida are an invasive pest that are very difficult to get rid of, even with most common herbicides. Sida rhombifolia L.
Other common names:
arrow leaf sida, arrow-leaf sida, arrowleaf sida, big Jack, bloom weed, broom weed, broomstick, coffee bush, common sida, country mallow Cuba jute,, Cuban jute, flaxweed, Indian hemp, jelly leaf, jellyleaf, Paddy's lucerne, Pretoria sida, Queensland hemp, rhomboid ilima, shrub sida, sida retusa, sida weed, sida-retusa, teaweed

This plant usually shows up from the pre-existing seedbank, on disturbed or bare ground and in poor soils tho will also readily grow in rich soils if seeds find their way there.

Other varieties and related plants around the world include,
flannel weed (Sida cordifolia)
spinyhead sida (Sida acuta)
spiny sida (Sida spinosa)
spiked sida (Sida subspicata)
spiked malvastrum (Malvastrum americanum)
prickly malvastrum (Malvastrum coromandelianum

Most Sidas have a relatively long taproot and during anything but the wettest soil conditions are very difficult to pull up. The stems, tho thin, are wiry, fibrous and very very tough, hard to cut and take a lot of abuse without dying. The stems are usually less than 3/16" diameter but even at 1/8" dia and less, are all but impervious to most weedeater line. This, is a plant that has evolved to survive in the harshest of environments.
When at the 3 leaf stage (young plant) it can be treated with herbicide successfully or pulled up relatively easy. For a plant beyond 3 leaf stage, herbicides like glycosphate will turn the leaves yellow and retard growth and seedhead production but usually will not kill the plant itself. Remedy (Triclopyr) has virtually no effect on mature or medium mature plants.
Toxicity comes from ephidrine, (which, among other side effects, affects heart rate) Saponin, and alkaloids and ingestion of the plant's leaves has been reported as causation of cattle deaths.



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We have this same exact plant on our place in one patch. It grows next to the driveway. When I let the sheep out to graze the yard, they will gather and eat this plant. We pulled the plants up yesterday, but like you said, the tap root breaks off, and it will be back. We had it on our place in Livingston also. The sheep like it, but never graze it down to nothing. Which particular sida is the one you pictured?

 

[greybeard]

Pictured is common sida... Sida rhombifolia L

I have it in my yard, right next to the house, beside the steps and around the well areas that I keep cleared with a weedeater. Grows profusely in my cowpen as well, in the walked down areas.
I've been told (but haven't tried it yet) that Sendero will kill it. It's just a tough plant.

Mike, I have seen your 'ironweed' in Missouri, but it is a completely different species and family.