Aegopodium podagraria / goutweed
common names: goutweed, bishop’s weed, bishops weed, ground elder
location: invading urban forest in Edmonton Alberta
licence: CC-BY-NC Viktoria Wagner via learn about Creative Commons (CC) licenses (opens new tab)
source: iNaturalist learn about iNaturalist (opens new tab)
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Aegopodium podagraria / goutweed
common names: goutweed, bishop’s weed, bishops weed, ground elder
location: Victoria Beach Manitoba
licence: CC-BY-NC nncooley via learn about Creative Commons (CC) licenses (opens new tab)
source: iNaturalist learn about iNaturalist (opens new tab)
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Kochia scoparia / summer cypress
common names: summer cypress, bassia, mock cypress, Mexican firebrush, Mexican fireweed
location: near CFB Shilo, Brandon Manitoba
licence: CC BY-NC camlough learn about Creative Commons licenses
source: iNaturalist learn about iNaturalist
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Impatiens glandulifera / Himalayan balsam
common name(s): ornamental jewelweed, kiss-me-on-the-mountain
location: near Brandon Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba on banks of Red River
licence: by Yongsheng-Ye, CC BY-NC
source: emailed to Linda Dietrick, Manitoba Master Gardener Association. Used with permission.
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Iris pseudacorus / yellow flag iris
common name: yellow flag iris, yellow iris, water flag
location: Van Belleghem Park, in Southdale neighbourhood of Winnipeg, Manitoba
licence: CC-BY-NC william_b27 learn about Creative Commons (CC) licenses (opens new tab)
source: iNaturalist learn about iNaturalist (opens new tab)
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Lythrum salicaria / purple loosestrife
common name: purple loosestrife, spiked loosestrife, purple Lythrum
location: Victoria Beach on Lake Winnipeg, Manitoba
licence: CC-BY-NC rhubarbqueen learn about Creative Commons (CC) licenses (opens new tab)
source: iNaturalist learn about iNaturalist (opens new tab)
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Aegopodium podagraria / goutweed
common names: goutweed, bishop’s weed, bishops weed, ground elder
location: Kenora, Ontario
licence: CC-BY-NC Carter Dorscht learn about Creative Commons licenses
source: iNaturalist learn about iNaturalist
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Aegopodium podagraria / goutweed
common names: goutweed, bishop’s weed, bishops weed, ground elder
location: Riding Mountain National Park, Manitoba
licence: CC-BY-NC Emily Klingbell learn about Creative Commons (CC) licenses (opens new tab)
source: iNaturalist learn about iNaturalist (opens new tab)
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The CFIA is responsible for the regulation of invasive plants at the national level. We believe that the CFIA is failing to protect Canada from the threat posed by invasive ornamental plants and made our case in our recently released White Paper. We had asked the CFIA for input on the paper before we released it, but as that did not come, we published our draft. After publishing our paper in May and receiving some national attention, we received a response from the CFIA in late June.
We followed up with many questions and requested a meeting. That meeting with Anthony Amyia, (Chief Plant Health Officer CFIA), Wendy Asbil, (National Manager, Invasive Alien Species and Domestic Plant Health Programs) along with a senior risk assessor, a program specialist and a CFIA policy analyst recently came to pass. The CFIA team offered supportive words about our initiative to reduce the sales and spread of invasive plants via the horticultural trade. However, at the end of the conversation, we felt that there was little indication that the CFIA was contemplating significant change and we were left with many unanswered questions.
We have sent a follow-up letter to CFIA with our observations and questions.
We will let you know if and when we receive a response.
By Nan Brown, April 2023
Unbelievable infestations of periwinkle have arisen from some old pioneer cemeteries and homesteads where it was planted probably by the first settlers. Now, after one hundred years or longer, the forests for acres around host nothing more than periwinkle.
An example for those in the Bruce County area is in Southampton where the spread from the old pioneer cemetery on the upper bank of the Saugeen River has taken over huge swathes of forest undergrowth. I walk through and feel overwhelmed and defeated from such mistakes of the past.
One would think we could learn and prevent invasions such as this in the future. But no, garden centres are still selling periwinkle in nurseries in Ontario.
Here are some of my pictures I took of these areas in Southampton, Bruce County. I like the last three pictures especially. The last one shows one of the old bases of a tombstone with a view of the beautiful Saugeen river down below the cliff at this site very close to where it empties into Lake Huron. Around the base are not only periwinkle but also Lily of the Valley which also runs rampant in this area. The second last picture shows a sea of periwinkle surrounding the sole surviving native wildflower, a broad-leaved goldenrod. The third last photo shows the sea of dark green periwinkle from white birch to beech and maple sealing the forest floor in all directions. One can’t see the vastness of this invasion from these photos however trust me it goes on for metres and metres deep into the forest and down the bank towards the river. Someday I will measure the extent it covers I am sure.
I was shocked when I first came across this area. For me, it exemplifies the need to educate people, especially gardeners, that the plants we choose now can have ramifications for years to come. Periwinkle, goutweed, Norway maple and so many other invasives should not be allowed anywhere near natural areas. If garden centres did what was right for the environment and stopped selling them, then maybe their followers, the gardeners, would listen.
