Thistle and Crown Vetch
pagirl
18 years ago
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cstlouis
18 years agoRelated Discussions
crown vetch
Comments (2)This looks like it might be Cow Vetch (Vicia cracca) or a similar plant. It doesn't look right for crown vetch, perhaps the leaflets are not round enough for Crown Vetch? I am not sure but something isn't quite right for it to be crown vetch. The flowers would be a great help in identification. There are lots of native and non-native vetches. Cow Vetch, with deep purple flowers, is fairly common as a roadside weed in Alaska, so maybe it also grows in Northern Ontario....See MoreGuidance on neophyte's native plant restoration garden
Comments (14)In a site this small, don't overlook the option of hand pulling some weeds and placing seedlings or transplants to add new species. I have a couple of smallish patches of weed-rich meadow that also include some desireable plants. To encourage the good plants, after a rain I go out and pull weeds that are crowding desirable plants. I don't try to eliminate all the weeds, instead just try to give the good plants room to grow and try to eliminate any weed that will really become a long-term problem. Weeds in this category include Canada Thistle, Crown Vetch, Spotted Knapweed, Garlic Mustard, and if I had any, definitely Japanese Knotweed. Most other weeds I pull only if they are crowding desireable plants. When I add a new species I generally start the seeds in six packs, then place seedlings. I find a spot that is all or mostly weeds, clear the weeds, and plant a patch of seedlings spaced appropriately for mature plants. Sometimes I mulch around the seedlings. Each year that goes by I get more and larger desirable plants and fewer weeds. This approach to establishing a prairie wouldn't work on a large scale but should be fine for 2500 square feet....See MoreVetch or Sweetpea? Native or invasive?
Comments (5)Look up web pictures of the various pea-family members. There's quite a lot of them. You're on the right track in that this is surely one of them. I'm still picking out what's what in that tribe so I don't feel qualified to ID your plant, at least based on those pics. Mountian pea, uh....see, I can't even remember the names....but there are some natives in that bunch. There're also more non-native, invasive types besides crown vetch. I think we see one around here called cow vetch which does all the same things. But I'd look to some web-based picture collections to home in on this one. +oM...See MoreCrown Vetch
Comments (3)I would create, if practical, a barrier where you mow the plants between the crown vetch and your property. Mowing short will slow the spread of crown vetch, and you can visit several times a summer and spray any plants in the barrier zone with Roundup to kill them. This is a pain, but better than Crown vetch all over your property....See Morepagirl
18 years agophacops
18 years agonaturelover777
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16 years agoKimmsr
16 years agopalomineo
10 years agokimpa zone 9b N. Florida.
10 years agoKimmsr
10 years ago2tnt
9 years ago
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