Mediterranean Sage, or Salvia Aethiopis is a short-lived perennial of the Lamiaceae family (mint), is native to the upper middle east and south eastern Europe. The plant has green broad leaves with a silvery appearance due to its soft fur.  The weed has a feel like wool. It has a woody, strong taproot, and can reach up ... Read More

Scotch Thistle, or Onopordium Acanthium This invader is a biennial plant in the Asteraceae family that is native to the Mediterranean region. It spends its first year building a photo-synthetic broad spiked leaves and a strong root structure. Once it begins upward grown, Scotch Thistle will reach 3-6 feet if left unchecked. Flower heads are 2 ... Read More

White Top (Lepidium Draba) is an herbaceous perennial native to central Europe, a member of the Brassicaceae family. This weed spreads quickly through its rhizomatous root structures; it also produces hundreds of seeds per plant, making it a double whammy. White Top grows to about knee height and is very thick.  The plants have leaves ... Read More

  by Tyler Goss Spotted Knapweed is a biennial or short lived perennial plant of the Asteraceae family native to Eurasia. It looks similar to the scotch thistle plant, but grows thinner, has smaller flower heads, and branches out much more. The flower head is round shaped with pink colored flower. It is much taller ... Read More

By Tyler Goss Musk Thistle (or Carduus Nutans) is a biennial thistle of the Arteraceae family, native to Mediterranean Europe. This invasive grows to stand about four feet tall and has a big purple bulb on top. Unlike scotch thistle, the flower head of the plant is entirely purple. The stalk leading to the flower head ... Read More

By Tyler Goss Diffuse Knapweed comes to us from Asia Minor and southern Russia.  It can be found throughout Oregon and Idaho as a biennial. During the plant’s first year a deep tap root with broad leaves is produced.  In the following year it will grow a single stem that will branch with a flower ... Read More

By Tyler Goss Russian Knapweed is a deep-rooted perennial invasive now found east of Oregon’s Cascades and in central and southern Idaho. It is a member of the Asteraceae family, native to central and western Asia. The plant is a light muted green color, with small soft leaves. The flower head is a light lavender ... Read More

The Weed of the Month has featured invasive plants which take over the sage steppe, pushing out native plants and creating fire hazards.  Invasives often have little or no nutrition value and many are poisonous.  Here are ones to watch out for in Harney County Yellow Starthistle.  Besides taking over it is poisonous to horses ... Read More