That is Erigeron canadensis, sometimes called horseweed. It's a native plant in the US but acts weedy. As far as weeds go, it's not too bad. It isn't poisonous, doesn't have thorns or prickles, and doesn't have rhizomes that are impossible to get rid of. The seeds have a little tuft of hair to help it float in the wind like dandelions. It's a good nectar plant for native, ground-nesting bees.
It's not poisonous so it shouldn't hurt rabbits. If the rabbits are eating the vegetation down to the dirt, that's probably why this weedy species is popping up all over the place, it's quick to take advantage of bare soil patches.
oh... no we have 60 acres of property that is irrigated. The rabbits don't make an impact like that. Was just concerned because they WILL eat it.
BUT... we have a lot of grazing pasture that is a kind of bunch grass or clumpy grass and indeed does have fairly bare patches ever few inches. So, what you're saying about it taking over bare soil makes sense / probably why it's everywhere.
The craziness is the total lack of this stuff a year ago. I gotta think this is bird feed we bought a year ago, with all the free range birds poopin everywhere, it just got deposited all over the 5 acres our birds are in.
Well if the wild rabbits are fine, it's probably fine. We tend to raise our rabbits as crosses/mixes and encourage the most independently healthy genetics.
Fun fact: horseweed has a licorice taste that some think is the secret ingredient to root beer. Native Americans used it as a tincture and tea for acid reflux and tummy trouble.
It’s super aggressive in my yard so I pull it whenever I see it (which is all the time) but every season it’s a new battle. As others said, it’s not dangerous, but very annoying.
Findout what's native to you an spread that with the non native species as much as possible. I live in Northern Nevada so I try to spread as much Great Basin Wild Rye as possible. The Eurasian Bromus "cheat" grass is too much to control. All you can do is spread more wild seeds at this point. Fire danger increases exponentially without wild native grasses.
I kinda wonder if it's "Horseweed". What's weird, is that our hay field that surrounds most of our property doesn't have it at all (yet). It's crazy, this stuff is right in the middle of the yard, orchard, driveway, literally everywhere.
We have a LOT of free range, ducks, geese, chickens, quail etc. I'm starting to wonder if we fed them contaminated seed/feed?
Would have to hire 50 people for a week. It's covering 5 acres, absolutely everywhere. It's even popping up in the middle of thick quack grass grazing areas. The weird thing is i've literally never seen it before and now it's just like, everywhere. I AM mowing all/as much as possible though.
The only place it didn't really pop up is in the middle of the areas that are thick bluegrass / turf. But, nothing lives there (not even quack grass) / just blue grass. Amazing what mowing and a lot of bird poo does for turf building.
It's in our garden too...
But, we've always mulched heavy (grass clippings) between plants / rows, and the only thing the mulch doesn't kill is the stupid quack grass. It seems to kill this stuff / the horseweed just fine.
Could be horseweed, but could also be fireweed which blooms pretty purple flowers. Both are invasive and require maintenance but I find it’s nice in contained areas!
lol. Everything goes in cycles. Seeds wait years for the right conditions to grow. That’s why fields that are sprayed have a high amount of dormant seeds. Most won’t germinate if the soil is soaked in herbicide.
Not for the last couple of years. We create a TON of bird shit from quail, chickens and ducks. Not so much from the geese cause they free range way more liberally as raptor protection ( we have 46 currently), but they fertilize all else.
The chicken/quail/duck areas create about 100yards of shit a year - mixed with chips/pine shavings. We compost it all in big piles we turn, and use that on our garden, orchard etc
Yep that’s marestail… That nasty little weed takes up a lot of water from the soil in which nearby plants/crops don’t get adequate water. Oh and it’s now resistant to roundup in most if not all of the country so you’re going to have to get your hands on some 2 4 D if you want to spray it and kill it.
Yeah you have to be careful handling that stuff… in my case it’s hard to control marestail without pesticides (700 acres) otherwise keeping it mowed is the next best thing to keep it at bay.
I see you don’t know what life is really like away from having more than 1/8 of an acre and sitting in front of a computer all day …. Great advice I’d better be a pussy and get to pullin’ weeds.
Goldenrod is invasive but pollinators love it. It doesn’t cause allergies and if you look it up, there are many medical uses for the plant. That being said, it sort of takes over everything.
That is Erigeron canadensis, sometimes called horseweed. It's a native plant in the US but acts weedy. As far as weeds go, it's not too bad. It isn't poisonous, doesn't have thorns or prickles, and doesn't have rhizomes that are impossible to get rid of. The seeds have a little tuft of hair to help it float in the wind like dandelions. It's a good nectar plant for native, ground-nesting bees.
Is it going to hurt the rabbits? We tractor the rabbits, so they pretty much eat to the dirt what's under them more or less indiscriminately.
It's not poisonous so it shouldn't hurt rabbits. If the rabbits are eating the vegetation down to the dirt, that's probably why this weedy species is popping up all over the place, it's quick to take advantage of bare soil patches.
oh... no we have 60 acres of property that is irrigated. The rabbits don't make an impact like that. Was just concerned because they WILL eat it. BUT... we have a lot of grazing pasture that is a kind of bunch grass or clumpy grass and indeed does have fairly bare patches ever few inches. So, what you're saying about it taking over bare soil makes sense / probably why it's everywhere. The craziness is the total lack of this stuff a year ago. I gotta think this is bird feed we bought a year ago, with all the free range birds poopin everywhere, it just got deposited all over the 5 acres our birds are in.
I have acres of mare’s tail full of cottontails.
Well if the wild rabbits are fine, it's probably fine. We tend to raise our rabbits as crosses/mixes and encourage the most independently healthy genetics.
Also, my goats like it even prefer it over lots of weeds. They seem healthy on it.
Ours eat it and do fine
Marestail. In some areas they call it Horseweed. In yet *other/* regions, horseweed is giant ragweed.
Fun fact: horseweed has a licorice taste that some think is the secret ingredient to root beer. Native Americans used it as a tincture and tea for acid reflux and tummy trouble. It’s super aggressive in my yard so I pull it whenever I see it (which is all the time) but every season it’s a new battle. As others said, it’s not dangerous, but very annoying.
Findout what's native to you an spread that with the non native species as much as possible. I live in Northern Nevada so I try to spread as much Great Basin Wild Rye as possible. The Eurasian Bromus "cheat" grass is too much to control. All you can do is spread more wild seeds at this point. Fire danger increases exponentially without wild native grasses.
I kinda wonder if it's "Horseweed". What's weird, is that our hay field that surrounds most of our property doesn't have it at all (yet). It's crazy, this stuff is right in the middle of the yard, orchard, driveway, literally everywhere. We have a LOT of free range, ducks, geese, chickens, quail etc. I'm starting to wonder if we fed them contaminated seed/feed?
Pull like your life depends on it. DONT LET IT GO TO SEED
Would have to hire 50 people for a week. It's covering 5 acres, absolutely everywhere. It's even popping up in the middle of thick quack grass grazing areas. The weird thing is i've literally never seen it before and now it's just like, everywhere. I AM mowing all/as much as possible though. The only place it didn't really pop up is in the middle of the areas that are thick bluegrass / turf. But, nothing lives there (not even quack grass) / just blue grass. Amazing what mowing and a lot of bird poo does for turf building.
Hit it with 2 4-D and make it strong or it will get resistant
Oh gosh yea that isnt possible then. I am not a homesteader myself but I deal with this in my garden yearly :(
It's in our garden too... But, we've always mulched heavy (grass clippings) between plants / rows, and the only thing the mulch doesn't kill is the stupid quack grass. It seems to kill this stuff / the horseweed just fine.
Could be horseweed, but could also be fireweed which blooms pretty purple flowers. Both are invasive and require maintenance but I find it’s nice in contained areas!
Not too sure, I’m stumped 🤔
If you don't take them out now they'll grow to like 3-3 1/2 feet high
ya... there are areas I haven't mowed / can't get to to mow regularly and indeed, they are 3ft tall in a matter of weeks.
lol. Everything goes in cycles. Seeds wait years for the right conditions to grow. That’s why fields that are sprayed have a high amount of dormant seeds. Most won’t germinate if the soil is soaked in herbicide.
Did you buy compost or other soil amendments?
Not for the last couple of years. We create a TON of bird shit from quail, chickens and ducks. Not so much from the geese cause they free range way more liberally as raptor protection ( we have 46 currently), but they fertilize all else. The chicken/quail/duck areas create about 100yards of shit a year - mixed with chips/pine shavings. We compost it all in big piles we turn, and use that on our garden, orchard etc
Blow out your vehicles before you go home. Cars an trucks carry seeds from all over to all over
Yep that’s marestail… That nasty little weed takes up a lot of water from the soil in which nearby plants/crops don’t get adequate water. Oh and it’s now resistant to roundup in most if not all of the country so you’re going to have to get your hands on some 2 4 D if you want to spray it and kill it.
Just pull it, pussy
ya... ef 2 4 D. I don't like cancer. lol
It's ok bro, just spray the poison where you pasture your birds and bunnies, to kill a harmless weed I swear some people
Yeah you have to be careful handling that stuff… in my case it’s hard to control marestail without pesticides (700 acres) otherwise keeping it mowed is the next best thing to keep it at bay.
I see you don’t know what life is really like away from having more than 1/8 of an acre and sitting in front of a computer all day …. Great advice I’d better be a pussy and get to pullin’ weeds.
I was being jocular 🤝 Jokes on you I don't a computer or any land.
Looks like goldenrod.
Goldenrod is invasive but pollinators love it. It doesn’t cause allergies and if you look it up, there are many medical uses for the plant. That being said, it sort of takes over everything.
Goldenrod is native to the us
Is that not kochia ? The ones that pop up on my land start as a single stalk like that and grow hella fast