It’s spring and time to talk about tansy, that dreadful invasive species that has exploded across our beautiful land. The seeds from those little yellow button flowers become imbedded in the wheels of ATVs, autos and even our shoes and boots. They are carried on the wind.
In the 1600s, it was brought to the U.S. from Eurasia as an ornamental plant, but through the years, it has taken over native plants and grazing land. It is toxic to cattle but, because it doesn’t taste good, most animals pass it by, allowing it to thrive untouched.
I’ve been troubled by the rapid spread of tansy along the country roads my daughter and I travel when we take her dog, Lily, for a run. It is everywhere and we knew we were contributing to its spread simply by driving down the road.
When I found tansy near my home, I reached out to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources for information on how to eliminate it. I was connected to Laura Van Riper, the Terrestrial Invasive Species Program Coordinator, who is a wealth of information on all invasive plants. We zeroed in on tansy.
One of the many sites she suggested is the Minnesota DNR web site, a trove of information on tansy as well as other invasive species. You can also find a Guide to Removal and Disposal of Noxious Weeds in Minnesota. Most sites strongly encourage wearing long sleeved shirts, long pants and appropriate gloves when touching tansy because of its toxicity.
My son, Marshall, said “Mother, you’re tilting at windmills again.” Perhaps he’s right but I believe in this simple adage: “We can do nothing, or we can do something. Let’s do something.”
So, let’s put on our work clothes when the first yellow flowers appear, take a plastic bag, and pick the flowers, putting them in the bag and allowing them to dry. If there is a toxic plant disposal location near you, please use it. If not, let’s ask our yard waste site operators to establish one. We need to take care of our little spot of the Earth.
Pat Helmberger
Tower