MINNESOTA WEEDS, SERIES III 23 



Description. — Water hemlock is a perennial weed which grows 

 almost entirely in wet meadows, marshy places, and along the sides 

 of streams and ponds. The plants grow from three to six feet high. 

 It is one of the few poisonous plants found in Minnesota. The root 

 is particularly poisonous altho it has a pleasant aromatic taste. When 

 it is eaten by cattle, death almost always follows. Persons have also 

 been known to die from eating the root. Water in low places is often 

 made poisonous by cattle crushing the roots. It blooms from July to 

 August and seeds from August to October. The small, white flowers 

 are formed in compound umbrella-like, many-flowered clusters from 

 two to four inches across. Water hemlock is scattered almost en- 

 tirely by seeds and by offsets from the crown of the root. The seeds 

 are very seldom found in commercial seed. 



Eradication. — Because of its poisonou> nature and the danger to 

 livestock, water hemlock should be destroyed wherever found. Spud 

 or spade out or pull by hand after a rain, when the ground is soft. 

 Prevent seed forming whenever possible. Drain and cultivate fields 

 that are badly infested. When the fields are plowed and cultivated 

 it is good practice to bring the roots to the surface with a spring- 

 toothed harrow and gather and burn them. 



Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca L.) 



Other common names. — Silk weed, swallow-wort, silken cissy, cot- 

 ton weed. 



Description. — Milkweed is a perennial and is quite common through- 

 out the state. It is often considered a very serious weed pest. It is 

 particularly common in fields and pastures and in waste places, but it 

 also often infests cultivated fields. The plant, which grows from two 

 to five feet high, is propagated both by seeds and by root-stalks. The 

 underground root-stalks are often hard to destroy. This makes the 

 weed quite bad in cultivated fields. The opposite leaves are very thick 

 and the under surface is covered with tine hairs. Both leaves and 

 stem contain a thick milky juice. Milkweed flowers between June 

 and August and seeds between August and October. The pinkish 

 flowers are formed in dense nodding clusters and are very fragrant. 

 The flat brown seeds are scattered particularly by the wind, owing 

 to a tuft of fine silken hairs at the end of each seed. 



Eradication. — Prevent milkweed from seeding by cutting the plants 

 early. Practice good plowing and clean cultivation, prepare the land 

 well, and make full seedings of all crops. Top-dress pastures and 

 encourage full stands of grass. 



