Frequent Mowing May Transform Poisonous Weeds Into βSuperweedsβ
Frequent mowing in pursuit of a tidy lawn or garden can create stronger, more resilient toxic superweeds
Β© by GrrlScientist for Forbes | LinkTr.ee
Keeping a lawn or garden tidy and free of weeds often involves regular mowing, but a new study suggests this common practice might be causing more problems than it solves with regards to one particular weed. A new study reports that frequent mowing of a common backyard weed, Silverleaf Nightshade, Solanum elaeagnifolium, can transform it into a resilient βsuperweedβ that is more difficult to control.
Silverleaf Nightshade is easily identified from its purple flowers, which sometimes are white or violet, and its prickly spines. It is a New World plant that may have originated in North America before being accidentally introduced to South America or in the opposite direction. It is found from Kansas to Louisiana, down through Mexico, and further south into Uruguay, Argentina, and Chile. It is invasive, also being found in South Africa and in Greece where it infests fields and slurps up valuable nutrients intended to support the growth of cash crops. In return for the windfall, this plant grows poisonous berries and flowers, and prickly spines.
