A small orange flower is blooming around town, and it’s not welcome.
“I’m seeing whole fields full of orange flowers that are this invasive species of hawkweed,” said Haines resident Tresham Gregg.
Hawkweed, a dandelion-like plant, has been popping up around Haines for several years, but Gregg said he thinks the problem is getting a lot worse.
“It would be great if people, wherever they see it, pull it by the roots if possible, cut it down with weed whackers, take flowers, put it in a bag, burn them, before they turn to seed,” said Gregg, who added he expects them to turn to seed any day now.
This year’s hawkweed spread has also caught the attention of Takshanuk Watershed Council Executive Director Derek Poinsette, who recently noticed it blooming around town.
“I was like holy smokes this stuff is everywhere this year,” said Poinsette.
Though hawkweed looks like any other flower, Poinsette said it is problematic because it could harm other plants.
“It grows and spreads very fast and it’s very aggressive. Basically, it chokes everything else out,” he said, adding that it can also alter soil conditions.
Poinsette said individuals can help get rid of the invasive plant. But, he said, eradicating it will likely take a greater effort.
“If you want to get rid of it and really hamper its spread you have to use herbicide,” said Poinsette.
He said he hopes to see a large-scale hawkweed eradication effort involving the borough next spring.
Poinsette said for now, residents can call him to talk about the herbicide recipe, or pull the plants out themselves. It is important, he said, that the discarded plants don’t end up in the compost pile, but are instead burned or bagged and thrown away.