Equil, you mentioned earlier in the thread that Bachelor Buttons are now on the invasive species list. Can you provide a link to that? One of the gardeners at work wants to make sure we don't have it there.
seed head to leave for the birds?
Equilibrium
Nov 09, 2006
Many plants appear at this site which has a decent search engine-
http://plants.usda.gov/
Best to know the Latin name of the plant as common names are not all that reliable.
Here's the link to Bachelor Bottons being invasive and if you click on the link you will find they have naturalized in 49 States-
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=CECY2
scroll down at the above site where the Feds have it formally listed as invasive.
Here are a few more sites on the invasiveness of Centaurea cyanus-
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/invasives/fact/knapweed.htm
http://www.easywildflowers.com/invasive.htm
http://www.wildflowerinformation.org/Wildflower.asp?ID=21
http://www.co.blm.gov/botany/invasiweed.htm
It's really nothing more than an extremely attractive knapweed however it is very popular amongst bee keepers and butterfly gardening enthusiasts and seems to show up on virtually every list as the plant one simply must not be without. Shame, it's right up there in invasiveness with Dame's Rocket (Hesperis matronalis), Coronilla varia (Crown Vetch), Euphorbia esula (Leafy Spurge), Dipsacus fullonum (Common Teasel), Lythrum salicaria (Purple Loosestrife), and Queen Anne's Lace (Daucus carota). Unfortunately, it shows up as a filler in many cheap "wildflower" mixes sold at Lowes, Home Depot, WalMart, Menards, and K-Mart so people pick up their "meadow in a can" and shake away.
Sally-- There is a way to tell V. opulus from V. trilobum. See those little bumps where the leaf meets its own stem? There are usually 4 of them. If they are indented, like the sucker on a squid tentacle, V. opulus. If rounded out, or flat, V. trilobum.
Equilibrium
Nov 09, 2006
Kevin, you really should seriously consider writing a book on Viburnum.
like the sucker on a squid tentacle? Is that a common name for a plant? A new viburnum? :o)
I believe we have squids. This free bush has turned into a lot of work..but a learning experience, must say.
Equilibrium
Nov 09, 2006
Hey Sally, I'm going to hijack your thread for a second here because I know Kevin has it bookmarked. Forgive me.
Kevin-
Gerould Wilhelm will be joining Nancy Wedow and Cindy Duda at the monthly program meeting of the Sierra Club's Northwest Cook County Group tonight (Nov 9). The subject will be the Palatine Prairie and the threat posed by the proposed development next to it.
The group meets at the Spring Valley Nature Center, 1111 E. Schaumburg Rd., Schaumburg (between Meacham and Plum Grove Roads, on the south side of the street). 7:00 for refreshments and socializing. Program starts at 7:30. Meeting is open to all.
FYI- the Palatine Planning Commission voted 6-2 not to recommend the developer's proposal to the Village Board last night. I think that developer is dead in the water right about now.
And back to our scheduled programming of Viburnum opulus v. trilobum....
Equil, I love how you ended that last post. That's good.