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Noxious weeds are defined as invasive, non-native plants that threaten agricultural crops, local ecosystems or fish and wildlife habitats. Landowners or land managers are responsible for managing noxious weed growth on their property.
CANADA THISTLE
Description: Perennial up to five feet, reproduction primarily by extensive creeping rhizomes but also by seed. Stems erect, grooved, with branching near top of plant. Leaves oblong, lance shaped, often with spiny margins. Flowers compact, numerous, and small, ¾ inch in diameter - light lavender to rose color. Male and female flowers produced on separate plants. Blooms late May to late June with flowering recurring later in season through September.
JOHNSONGRASS
Description: Perennial, reproducing by large creeping rhizomes and seeds. Stems erect, stout, from 1½ to 7 feet tall or more. Usually forms dense stands. Leaves alternate, simple, smooth, 6 to 20 inches long, and ½ to 1½ inches wide. Seed head with broad, open panicle. Seed generally turns reddish-brown or darker when mature.
Palmer Amaranth
Description: A highly aggressive, fast-growing annual weed native to the southwestern U.S. and Mexico that has become a major agricultural pest in the U.S. due to its rapid growth, prolific seed production, and ability to develop resistance to multiple herbicides. Key identification features include alternate leaves, a petiole (leaf stalk) longer than the leaf blade, and a stiff, bristly seed head on female plants.
SHATTERCANE
Description: Warm-season annual, reproducing by seed. Root system fibrous. Stems erect, smooth, 4 to 8 feet tall with tillers readily produced from crown. Leaves resemble those of forage sorghum with a pronounced whitish-green mid-vein. Seed heads resemble forage sorghum but seeds appear dark red to black when mature. Seeds “shatter”, or drop easily at maturity.
BULL THISTLE
Description: Biennial, reproducing by seeds. Taproot fleshy. Rosette leaves are woolly and grayish. Stem is branched and hairy, two to five tall or more. Leaves extend down the stem in spiny wings. Leaves deeply cut or lobed with sharp, long, apical spines. Upper leaf surface has short stiff hairs. Mature plant typically resembles a Christmas tree form. Flower heads are compact, 1 to 1½ inches in diameter, rose to purple in color. Blooms from July to September.
PLUMLESS THISTLE
Description: Biennial (sometimes annual) up to six feet tall, reproducing by seed only. Very similar to musk thistle except underside of leaf has compact hairs, and leaves more narrow and deeply serrated. Flowers globe shaped, erect, single or clustered, with spiny wings to base. Flowers much smaller than musk thistle, ½ to 1 inch in diameter, reddish purple. Blooms from May to July.
MUSK THISTLE
Description: Biennial (sometimes annual) up to eight feet tall, reproducing by seed only. Taproot large, fleshy, and hollow near soil surface. Stems tall, erect, and spiny, with spiny wings, lower portion branched. Leaves alternate, coarsely toothed, with prominent yellow spines. Flowers are large (as much as 2 in. across) on ends of long, nearly-naked stems, frequently drooping or nodding, purple to lavender. Bloom is in May or June, followed by seed production.
WATERHEMP
Description: Roughfruit amaranth, also known as rough-fruited water-hemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus), is a summer annual broadleaf plant native to North America that has become a significant, herbicide-resistant agricultural weed. It is a "superweed" that can grow very tall, produce up to a million seeds, and significantly reduce crop yields. The plant is dioecious (has separate male and female plants), hairless, and has narrow, lance-shaped leaves.
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Phragmites
CALLERY PEAR
japanese honeysuckle
mile-a-minute
Tree of Heaven
Kudzu
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As a service to Talbot County residents, the county, in cooperation with the Maryland Department of Agriculture, operates a weed control program to assist farmers, developers, owners of rights-of-way, agencies and other landowners to control noxious weeds. The county can provide spot and boom spraying of approved herbicides for a reasonable hourly rate, plus the cost of herbicides used.
Property owners should create a weed management plan and develop a timely mowing schedule. Noxious weeds start to develop in April, so owners should start scouting for noxious weeds then and reach out as they need assistance with proper eradication practices.
Talbot County Weed Control Coordinator
Joe Willoughby
jwilloughby@talbotcountymd.gov
(410) 770-8157