Common Weeds Of Alberta

Sometimes a weed is just a weed, and at other times it can be devastating to the economy and environment.

Unfortunately, there are many harmful weeds that grow around Alberta, hindering oil field operations and the farming industry.

To help you understand what to look out for, here are the types of weeds that grow in Alberta and the most common ones you may encounter:

The Different Types of Weeds of Alberta

In order to protect landowners and the environment, Alberta’s Weed Control Act enforces the control of threatening weeds to prevent their spread.

These weeds are separated into three categories:

Noxious

Noxious weeds are those that spread rapidly and can cause severe crop losses in Alberta. These weeds need to be controlled to avoid establishment, spread, and economic hardship.

Nuisance Weeds

Nuisance weeds are common in Alberta and are typically a native species. They can be found nearly anywhere and are difficult to get rid of. They can also cause economic damage around the province.

Restricted Weeds

Restricted weeds can also spread rapidly and pose a serious threat to the ecosystem. They are found in small numbers in Alberta but can cause significant harm.

Common Weeds of Alberta

Alberta is home to a varied and beautiful ecosystem, but sometimes unwanted guests try to make their home in its soil.

Here are some of the common weeds of Alberta you should look out for:

Kochia

Kochia is a weed that is found primarily in the Southern parts of Alberta but is continuing to spread throughout the central parts of the province.

Kochia spreads by producing seeds when the stem breaks off from the root and tumbles in the wind.

This annual broadleaf weed can range in height from 15 cm to 2 meters. They have numerous hairy, pale green leaves that alternate and taper to a point at the tip.

The flowers are small and green and grow in clusters around the upper leaves on short, dense spikes.

Scentless Chamomile

Scentless Chamomile is an annual weed that completes its lifecycle in one growing season. They spread by seed, so removing them involves the prevention of seed production.

This is a noxious weed, and its highly branched and bushy stems can grow up to 1 meter tall.

The leaves of the Scentless Chamomile plant alternate and are finely divided into thread-like segments.

The white and yellow flowers look likes daisies and grow solitary at the ends of long branches.

Scentless Chamomile is often confused for Ox-Eye Daisies when in bloom, but they have more easily distinguishable divided leaves and bushy growth.

When not in bloom, people often confuse Scentless Chamomile for Pineapple Weed, except that Pineapple Weed has a fruity odor, and Scentless Chamomile is, as the name implies, scentless.

Common Tansy

Common Tansy has an aromatic smell and spreads by seed and short underground horizontal stems. It grows in dense patches and is toxic to animals.

The entire Common Tansy plant must be removed because it will grow from its roots stalks each year.

The stems of the Common Tansy form in clusters and can grow up to 2 meters tall. The leaves alternate and have toothed segments along the spine.

The small yellow flowers group into 1 cm wide heads, with 20 to 200 flowers per head arranged in a flat-topped cluster.

Canada Thistle

Canada Thistle is a perennial weed that spreads by seed and creeping roots. Its feathery hairs, known as pappus, attach to the seeds to help them soar and spread through the air over short distances.

These weeds grow from the root stalks every year and must be completely destroyed.

Canada Thistle is a noxious weed with upright and hollow branches near the top. The leaves alternate and vary from those with a smooth margin and no spines to those with sharp spines.

The flowers are white or purple and grow in clusters that resemble a single flower.

Yellow Toadflax

Yellow Toadflax is a perennial weed that spreads by seed and creeping roots. It grows from the root stalk each year.

Because it spreads by seeds and roots, the entire plant has to be destroyed in order to eliminate its presence.

Toadflax is a noxious weed that is commonly confused with leafy spurge when its flowers are absent.

The stem of Yellow Toadflax forms in dense patches up to one meter tall with a few branches in the upper stem.

The leaves are attached directly to the stem and spiral and alternate along the plant. They can grow up to 10 cm long.

Like the Snapdragon, Toadflax’s flowers are bright yellow with a yellow-orange throat and grow up to 3.5 cm long.

How to Manage Weeds in Alberta

Whether you are dealing with weeds in your backyard or on your commercial property, weeds can rapidly take over and cause harm to lawns, fields, pastures, and prairies.

In order to eliminate weeds, here are some of the weed management options available:

• Total Vegetation Control: This involves controlling weeds at their most active growing stage using non-residual herbicides that kill unwanted vegetation on contact.

• Selective Vegetation Control: This option addresses specific weeds while leaving the surrounding vegetation intact.

The methods require the use of herbicides, which can be applied using methods such as boom spraying, misting, and blanket wipers.

Different herbicides have different lengths of residual activity, with some keeping weeds at bay for a full growing season while others are only effective for a few months.

Our professional weed control team can help you determine which method of weed control is appropriate for your unique situation!

Professional Weed Control

Weeds can pose a major hazard all over the province. This is why Marksmen has been working for over 30 years to mitigate these hazards for Alberta residents and business owners.

By using the latest in weed control technology, we are dedicated to offering professional weed management services.

You can trust the team at Marksmen to get the job done!

Contact us today for more information.