Weeds - Part 6: Burnweed

Some thoughts on weeds at Common Ground Community Garden, Greenwood Lake

Sona Mason - September 2023

It pains me to cast a native plant as an Unwanted, but Burnweed seems to be popping up everywhere this year, possibly because of the consistent rains on the northeast coast after a previous dry year. Burnweed can grow up to eleven feet high and produce prolific amounts of seed at any size. Hence it's more expedient to prevent it from setting seed and turning this year's battalions into an entire army in succeeding years.       

Named after its tendency to pop up in fields and forests that have recently been cleared by a fire, it looks somewhat thistle-like with spiky-looking leaves. Its tissue is soft and juicy, and somewhat like thistle, it exudes a sticky latex, so gloves are recommended. As an annual arising only from seed each year, the roots are not deep and can be easily removed, which is strongly advised as it will persist on growing flower-producing stems from stumps until it has succeeded in ensuring its future territorial expansion. So pull out the entire plant, bash its roots against a rock to knock out the soil to help the roots dry out, break off any flowering parts and bag any developed flowers to break their transition to seed.