I took this pic on the path above Goat Rock Beach last year; it features thistles, those ultra prickly weeds that you just don't want to mess with unless you're wearing rhinocerous-hide gloves. I don't know what kind of thistle they are, as there are about 20 zillion different species of thistles. I'm posting this pic as an example of how beautiful even the most noxious of weeds can be.
Over the last week I have seen a lot of references to 'noxious weeds' in my online weed research. 'Noxious' seems like overkill to me, I mean, it's just a plant, right? Then I noticed that often this designation is followed by draconian efforts to remove said weed, efforts which are frequently in vain.
Here's a definition I found on the BLM weed website: a noxious weed is any plant designated by a Federal, State or county government as injurious to public health, agriculture, recreation, wildlife or property. (Sheley, Petroff, and Borman,1999). In other words, it's a plant that fucks shit up for people. I suspect that as this is a legal distinction, it affects what treatments one can legally apply to said weed in order to remove it.
Also, a noxious weed can be defined as a plant growing where it is not wanted while at the same time being persistent, spreading, invasive, and difficult to remove. In other words, it's a real obnoxious pain in the ass, hence the use of the pejorative 'noxious.'
References
Sheley, R.,J. Petroff, M.. Borman, 1999. Introduction to Biology and Management of Noxious Rangeland Weeds, Corvallis, OR.
1 comment:
Wow, this is indeed a beautiful pic. I realized recently that I made a mistake about the nutsedge. It is actually yellow nutsedge that loves to grow among the medicinal herbs I plant, not purple nutsedge. When I read that you included these evil creatures in a bouquet, I tried to shift my perspective and admire their beauty. However, their sharp needles have stabbed me so many times, and they are so impossible to get rid of, that they just appear plain evil and jagged to me. I do admire your mission to take the stigma off of weeds though.
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