Alluring Green Offenders

by Daniel E. Walsh  Author of Our Sunday "History & Reflections" Series

“Oh thou weed, who art so lovely, fair."
 ~Othello to Desdemona

Wildflowers abound this time of the year. They provide a nice accent to the overall full blossom of summer. At once enticing and dangerous, these variegated agents of nature are at their essence survivors. We pretend that they are the intruders when it is mankind who pushed into their world. Unwittingly, we introduced this threat to our native world and in doing some created a vexing problem for those who must wrestle this green nemesis to create a more natural, native environment with green sensibilities.

Concrete and asphalt connective ribbons are laid across the land and highway engineers are mandated to create beauty at their side. In this effort we are thwarted by the uncomfortable presence of plants whose very nature makes our plans meaningless. We label them as the enemy. Many of the major offenders are from an unintended side affect of progress as diverse cultures shifted continents and brought their plants with them. Weeds are a serious threat to water quality, wildlife habitat, and native plants and increase the necessity of mowing and spraying. And yet, while it takes up a lot of time and energy to fight them—some sure are pretty.

That pretty purple stuff that highlights the highways leading away from the ocean? European import Purple Loosestrife is one of the most dreaded.  The magenta tops tantalize the eyes, while the taproot burrows in for water as this fighter holds on to its turf with a ferocious tenacity. Its presence bedevils the planners who are trying to control water flow and erosion from the roadsides. The plant also tends to choke out rivals and takes over wide swaths of land—thus the flowing purple.

A 1987 modification to the national commitment to beautify the American road system (the Highway Beautification Act of 1965) initiated by First Lady Lady Bird Johnson mandated that natural elements to enhance a holistic approach be included in those efforts. States hungry for federal dollars struggle to find ways to comply. Along the way they’ve encountered some persistent green-stemmed pests. Noxious weeds. Forbs. They make lists like the Most Wanted lists at the post office. Thistles, especially Canada Thistle—another European interloper, Giant Hogweed, and an old friend—Cannabis Sativa, are some of the names on this list. Imagine the arrogance and the folly of this seemingly destined-to-be-lost battle against an enemy who has outlasted every sort of foe for all of time.

There is a lot at stake for us as this war rages. Noxious weeds affect water quality, by increasing water flow into lakes and rivers. The plants favored by highway departments have fibrous roots that retain water where it falls. Wildlife is adversely affected as well; our forest friends don’t like to nosh on nasty things like thistle either. The resulting increase in mowing and spraying leads to many more greenhouse gas emissions to areas already choked with them. Their hardier foreign attackers easily crowd out native wildflowers. Increasing the native natural plants is the reason for the mandate in the first place.

For a view of how ugly these takeovers can be, witness the dark green predominance of the Kudzu in the southern US. This grim choke artist vine hails from China and Japan and is winding it way through the South and threatens to go further.  The Kudzu’s act – it grows at such volume that host trees are simply taken over by the vine’s sheer weight and the aftermath is a landscape of ogre-like green hulks.

The wildflower can possess ineffable beauty. For the seeker the thrill is the sight of a carpet of elusive delicate trillium under a dark woodland canopy or the surprise appearance of the seductive morning glory. Prized for their beauty the delicate flowers have their legions of admirers and defenders. Just as Othello’s jealousy and doubt of Desdemona overtakes his reason, some of these plants have despoiled attempts to beautify our landscape and make it work for the overall environment. The alluring green offenders have to be rooted out with a frank and realistic approach. For some, that would be to not quit trying—though the problem seems insurmountable. For others, some of these beautiful plants are just plain no good.<

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*This winter, see if you can hear how the season transforms sound, as well as the scenery.