Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: invasive species

It's now after 1:45 in the morning on 14 March 2015 and I have just finished my work on a couple of photo request projects. My plan is for a day out with a group of friends, IF I wake up in time. Still have to get all my things ready before I can fall into bed. Decided to upload my "daily three" at this unearthly hour instead of just before I leave. Caragana is an invasive species that is doing a lot of damage in this city, preventing native species of plants from growing. Also known as Siberian Peashrub. This hardy shrub is a native of Siberia, as the name implies. "Useful for shelterbelts, but should be kept out of natural areas, where it may spread. Dense groves of Caragana exclude almost all other vegetation." www.anpc.ab.ca/wiki/index.php/Caragana_arborescens en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caragana_arborescens

Just a brightly coloured macro of a Goat's-beard flower that I grabbed from my archives last night. Taken at Nose Hill on 20 June 2012. I noticed something I'd never noticed before - the very tiny, flower-shaped tips of the inner petals (?). I really should know the names of the various parts of a flower after all these years, ha. This is one of our most invasive, destructive plants and it has taken over a lot of our parks and natural areas. Introduced from Eurasia. The bright yellow flower is beautiful, as is the dandelion-like seedhead, but what a huge problem it is. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tragopogon_dubius It's a really crummy day out there, yet again. STILL snowing and as dreary as can be. Got up early as I was supposed to go on a birding walk this morning, but can't face the thought of having to clear the snow off my car and then walk for three hours in -13C (windchill -20C) temperatrures. Been doing it for six months now, and enough is enough, ha. The rest of the week looks like it's expected to be much better, thank goodness. Stay warm, everyone!

Crested Wheatgrass is one of my favourite grasses because I think it makes a neat photo! Taken on a walk at Nose Hill Park yesterday afternoon. "Introduced from Eurasia. Abundant. Each plant has thousands of fibrous roots extending to depths of 4m, totalling in excess of 5km, depriving native plants of moisture and ultimately nutrients; a serious threat to our native biodiversity. Stems, densely tufted, 3-4dm tall. Leaves, blades, 2-4mm wide. Flowers, spike oblong-oval; arranged in flattened comb-like cluster, 4-7cm long, 1.5-2.5cm broad; ......... Habitat: roadsides, disturbed areas." Taken from www.weaselhead.org , information by Gus Yaki.

Caragana is an invasive species that is doing a lot of damage in this city, preventing native species of plants from growing. Also known as Siberian Peashrub. This hardy shrub is a native of Siberia, as the name implies.

I helped at a Leafy Spurge "pull" this morning, trying to remove some of these invasive plants from down near the Bow River at Fish Creek Park. When this plant is growing, it means that native plants can't grow there. Couldn't resist photographing this bright little Ladybug on the top of one of the Leafy Spurge plants. Erika's mum, if you see and read this, this is what Erika was busy doing this morning! She mentioned that she had given you the link for my Flickr photostream - hope you enjoy seeing some of the beautiful things that you may have seen when you were here in Canada, visiting Erika and family.