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08/24/2008: "One Bad Weed"

The San Juan County Noxious Weed Board would like you to know that tansy ragwort has been the cause of more livestock deaths in San Juan County than any other weed

ansy is best controlled by pulling the entire plant out of the ground, otherwise it will reflower. It is critical to remove the flower heads before discarding the rest of the plant. These heads should be bagged and taken to the Solid Waste facility, where they may be disposed of at no charge.




If the heads are left on the plant the seeds will mature and re-infect the area which is being cleared. This is especially important along roadsides where the flower heads and developing seeds can be picked up by tires and dispersed over great distances. For information on other methods of control for this and other noxious weeds call the San Juan County Noxious Weed Control Program office at 376-3499

The tansy ragwort season is coming to a close. Both Public Works personnel and private landowners have made some strong progress in controlling this toxic and invasive weed, both on the roadsides and on private property.

Because of its threat to livestock, every effort needs to be made to keep this plant from spreading into pastures and hayfields or once there, to find and eradicate it. While horses and cattle will usually avoid the plant while it is green, they cannot distinguish the dried plant from the rest of the hay. The effects of the toxin are cumulative and causes irreversible liver damage and, ultimately, the death of the animal.