South Texas Weed - Ask Extension
Can someone identify what this week (shrub?) is and what can be done to destroy it? It is expanding and overtaking my pasture and is on its way to m...
Knowledgebase
South Texas Weed #158187
Asked October 23, 2013, 1:42 PM EDT
Can someone identify what this week (shrub?) is and what can be done to destroy it? It is expanding and overtaking my pasture and is on its way to my crops.
Cameron County Texas
Expert Response
November 1, 2013 ESSM
Cameron County landowner: I have reviewed the two .jpg images that you have provided in your request through the eXtension system. To the best of my knowledge and ability, the plant has been identified as "Borrichia frutescens (L.) DC." in the Asteraceae or Sunflower Family. This plant is a native, warm season perennial that is commonly named "sea-ox-eye" or "sea ox-eye daisy". This plant occurs naturally in the Texas coastal area abundantly and inland in local areas of poor drainage and salt accumulation, up to Gonzales and over to Webb Counties. It is noted to flower almost all year. The plant is rhizomatous and will grow in large colonies with inter-connected root systems. Because of this, plants like this are hard to control with herbicides.
The plant occurs naturally on soils that are high in salt. This can mean natural salty soils, or soils that become salty from hurricane water intrusion or from irrigation water that have been used over a long period of time. This plant is listed and pictured in most wildflower books for Texas. We currently do not have a recommendation (chemical) for the control of this species that has been approved in the state of Texas.
Repeated plowing on farm lands, followed by raking should help eliminate this plant on those farming sites.
I hope this information will be of value to you. Thank you for contacting us through eXtension.
Barron S. Rector, Extension Range Specialist
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
Ecosystem Science and Management Department
BSR/
Cameron County landowner: I have reviewed the two .jpg images that you have provided in your request through the eXtension system. To the best of my knowledge and ability, the plant has been identified as "Borrichia frutescens (L.) DC." in the Asteraceae or Sunflower Family. This plant is a native, warm season perennial that is commonly named "sea-ox-eye" or "sea ox-eye daisy". This plant occurs naturally in the Texas coastal area abundantly and inland in local areas of poor drainage and salt accumulation, up to Gonzales and over to Webb Counties. It is noted to flower almost all year. The plant is rhizomatous and will grow in large colonies with inter-connected root systems. Because of this, plants like this are hard to control with herbicides.
The plant occurs naturally on soils that are high in salt. This can mean natural salty soils, or soils that become salty from hurricane water intrusion or from irrigation water that have been used over a long period of time. This plant is listed and pictured in most wildflower books for Texas. We currently do not have a recommendation (chemical) for the control of this species that has been approved in the state of Texas.
Repeated plowing on farm lands, followed by raking should help eliminate this plant on those farming sites.
I hope this information will be of value to you. Thank you for contacting us through eXtension.
Barron S. Rector, Extension Range Specialist
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
Ecosystem Science and Management Department
BSR/
