"The information presented in this compendium is specifically designed to give a weed risk assessor, or anyone interested in the weed potential of a plant, a condensed report of the status of a species with, most importantly, further avenues for finding more information through the extensive reference listing"--p. ii.
This book might be called a Who's Who among Weeds as it covers 102 of the most common weeds found throughout the United States. Weeds of lawn and yard, weeds that are sometimes used for food, weeds that are the bane of hayfever sufferers, weeds that can ruin cow's milk, poisonous weeds, and even the real desperadoes that can totally overtake a field in one season are all covered. The author, Edwin R. Spencer, was a farmer and biology professor; his text is both a practical and an authoritative guide to weeds, able to speak to nature lovers, farmers, and scientists alike. Pigweed … Dogbane … Carpet Weed … Crab Grass … Wild Garlic … Spiderwort … Chicory … Ragweed … Poison Ivy … Yellow Dock … each weed is listed under its most common name, but since one man's Moneywort is another man's Creeping Jenny, its scientific and alternative common names are also given. Then follows a delightful description of each weed, full of information and good humor as well. Details for controlling the weed are given in this section. To aid in identification each weed is multiply keyed at the front of the text as to its place and season of growth, the type of soil it prefers, and physical characteristics. Even if you know nothing about botany, you will most likely be able to identify your find through these keys or just by flipping through the 102 first-rate illustrations. To the gardener and farmer weeds are something to be hoed out and plowed under, but weeds are also a fascinating group of plants, as this thoroughly readable book will point out. They are the plants you are most likely to come upon in nature jaunts and the ones you are going to have to come to terms with if you do any gardening of your own. "A most fascinating book." — Garden Club of America.
The Wild Wisdom of Weeds is the only book on foraging and edible weeds to focus on the thirteen weeds found all over the world, each of which represents a complete food source and extensive medical pharmacy and first-aid kit. More than just a field guide to wild edibles, it is a global plan for human survival. When Katrina Blair was eleven she had a life-changing experience where wild plants spoke to her, beckoning her to become a champion of their cause. Since then she has spent months on end taking walkabouts in the wild, eating nothing but what she forages, and has become a wild-foods advocate, community activist, gardener, and chef, teaching and presenting internationally about foraging and the healthful lifestyle it promotes. Katrina Blair’s philosophy in The Wild Wisdom of Weeds is sobering, realistic, and ultimately optimistic. If we can open our eyes to see the wisdom found in these weeds right under our noses, instead of trying to eradicate an “invasive,” we will achieve true food security. The Wild Wisdom of Weeds is about healing ourselves both in body and in spirit, in an age where technology, commodity agriculture, and processed foods dictate the terms of our intelligence. But if we can become familiar with these thirteen edible survival weeds found all over the world, we will never go hungry, and we will become closer to our own wild human instincts—all the while enjoying the freshest, wildest, and most nutritious food there is. For free! The thirteen plants found growing in every region across the world are: dandelion, mallow, purslane, plantain, thistle, amaranth, dock, mustard, grass, chickweed, clover, lambsquarter, and knotweed. These special plants contribute to the regeneration of the earth while supporting the survival of our human species; they grow everywhere where human civilization exists, from the hottest deserts to the Arctic Circle, following the path of human disturbance. Indeed, the more humans disturb the earth and put our food supply at risk, the more these thirteen plants proliferate. It’s a survival plan for the ages. Including over one hundred unique recipes, Katrina Blair’s book teaches us how to prepare these wild plants from root to seed in soups, salads, slaws, crackers, pestos, seed breads, and seed butters; cereals, green powders, sauerkrauts, smoothies, and milks; first-aid concoctions such as tinctures, teas, salves, and soothers; self-care/beauty products including shampoo, mouthwash, toothpaste (and brush), face masks; and a lot more. Whether readers are based at home or traveling, this book aims to empower individuals to maintain a state of optimal health with minimal cost and effort.
"A dazzling display of humanistic erudition, wit, and practical culinary advice. Ballerini's living herbarium reinitiates modern readers living in the concrete manswarm into the joys of foraging, gathering, and savoring herbs, flowers, and berries. Its wide-ranging historical context, a veritable documentary of poets and chroniclers of past and present, is a learned celebration of nature's bounty. Practical and flavorful recipes for each plant transport the 'weeds' from the field to the palate and enhance a narrative enriched by splendid complementary footnotes."—Albert Sonnenfeld, Series Director, Arts of the Table "Weeds indeed. A guide as witty as he is erudite, Luigi Ballerini has given us a remarkable compendium of the wild greens, along with their flowers and fruits, that people have foraged and eaten for millennia. Once the food of the poor, such ingredients are now in high demand. Gathering greens both familiar—such as mint or borage—and obscure—milk thistle and wallrocket—Ballerini draws upon a diverse cast of authors to attest or dispute their real or alleged medicinal powers. Just as important, he never neglects to suggest how they taste or to present fine recipes so that we can savor them for ourselves."—Carol Field, author of The Italian Baker "The scholar and poet Luigi Ballerini has given us a mouthwatering treasure of inventive Italian recipes for foraged wild plants adapted for the American locavore kitchen (including ten for borage alone, as well as nettle and purslane frittatas, and prickly pear risotto). This elegantly illustrated volume is peppered with humor and tastefully seasoned with a wealth of cultural, historical, and scientific sources and information. A Feast of Weeds is food for both the palate and the mind."—Jean-Claude Carron, University of California, Los Angeles
Each entry details the target weed, control agent, year of first release, country of origin of agent, status and degree of control, research organisation involved, and key references. The catalogue format has been modified slightly from earlier editions to improve ease of use. The book provides an invaluable means of keeping track of the world situation, and is a handy reference for professionals, research workers and students interested in the biological control of weeds.
These proceedings contain the full-length papers and abstracts of papers presented at the symposium. Subjects covered include: ecology and modelling in biological control of weeds; benefits, risks and cost analysis of biological weed control; target and biological control agent selection; pre-release specificity and efficacy testing; regulations and public awareness; evolutionary processes; opportunities and constraints for the biological control of weeds in Europe; release activities and post-release evaluations; and management specifics, integration, restoration and implementation.
This comprehensive guide to wetland weeds covers both native and introduced species, ranging from minor or localised environmental problems to those that should not be tolerated in any situation. The author takes a pragmatic approach to weed control, recognising that some weeds may not be possible to eradicate, and emphasising the need to assess the extent and future potential of any infestation before taking action. Weed control should be planned in the context of the overall management goals for any type of wetland, the types of habitat weeds provide or overrun, and whether they can be replaced successfully with more appropriate plants. A range of strategies for controlling wetland weeds are considered, from containment actions to prevent the development of a soil seed bank to physical removal, and biological approaches from biocontrol to shading, overplanting and use of turbidity. The widespread use of chemical controls is also discussed, with the warning that these are often only a short-term cure and can cause more harm to aquatic ecosystems than the weeds they are holding at bay. More than 130 species of established weeds are included with information on their origins, nutrient responses, environmental effects, habitat values, prospects for containment or eradication, and even culinary uses. Other sections look at native plants as weeds, including a number of species of uncertain origins, and potential weeds still being legally sold through the aquarium and nursery trades.
This book explores the most important aspects of the biology, ecology and management of what is one of the world's worst weeds. Originally regarded as a major weed in Australia and India, Parthenium weed is now widespread in around 48 countries in Africa, Asia and the South Pacific, and has the potential to spread to new countries in Africa, Asia and Europe. This book, which is a collective effort by 27 members of the International Parthenium Weed Network, addresses research and knowledge gaps for different countries. It examines the weed's mode of spread, its impact on agricultural production, its effect on the environment and on human health, and its management using biological control, as well as cultural, physical and chemical approaches. It also considers the coordination of the weed's management, possible uses for Parthenium weed, its present distribution and how this is impacted by climate change. This book includes: A detailed analysis of Parthenium weed biology. Experiences with Parthenium weed worldwide. An explanation of practical management options. This book will be of interest to graduate students and researchers in universities and institutes, in the fields of plant ecology, botany, agriculture, conservation and restoration ecology.
Weeds are successful plants, but on their own terms. Looking at weeds from an ecological viewpoint, emphasising the way in which one species interacts with others, the authors show that weeds are questionable mainly in that they are out-of-place.