Whether you’ve turned your yard over to native grasses and other groundcover plants completely, or are maintaining a traditional turf lawn, there are certain types of vegetation that you don’t want around which, by definition, makes them weeds. But some weeds are worse than others.
Take, for example, cogongrass, which is not only an invasive species, but has been federally designated as a “noxious weed” (which is as harmful to local ecosystems as it sounds). Once confined to the southeast United States, cogongrass has been spreading to other parts of the country. So, over the past few years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and other federal and state agencies have asked the public for help stopping the spread of the weed. Here’s what to know about cogongrass, and how to help stop it. Cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica) also known as cogon grass, Japanese bloodgrass, and Red Baron grassm is thought to have been introduced to the United States (Alabama, specifically) in 1911 in packing material from Japan, according to the USDA.
Not only has cogongrass been classified as a “noxious weed” (meaning that it’s harmful to public health, agriculture, recreation, wildlife, and/or property), it’s also considered the “seventh-worst weed in the world,” again, per the USDA. So what makes it such a threat? Cogongrass grows in patches so dense that it can choke out native plant species and crops, and reduce forest productivity, which, in turn, destroys wildlife habitats. Along with Alabama, cogongrass is widespread in Mississippi and Florida, and has been spreading rapidly through Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Louisiana, Texas, and Oregon. It has also been spotted in Vermont, Minnesota, and most recently (May 2022) in Idaho. While the noxious weed seems to prefer hot, humid environments, it’s now venturing into colder climes (which are not as cold as they once were, thanks to climate change). So basically, it’ll grow wherever it damn well pleases.
Source: This news is originally published by lifehacker