Scentless Chamomile
Also known as may weed, scentless chamomile is one of the most invasive noxious weeds in Alberta. It is easily identified by its ferny foliage and white daisy flowers. This noxious weed can be found in pastures, hay land, disturbed sites, headlands, ditches, waterways, gravel pits, and anywhere plant competition is inhibited. Scentless chamomile spreads entirely by seed, with a mature plant producing up to one million seeds that may remain dormant in the soil for up to 20 years. Seed is viable as soon as the flowers open and plants bloom from June to freeze-up.
Control Options:
- Prevention is the easiest and most cost-effective method of control. Pick plants before they drop their seed the first season and burn them. Infestations almost always start as 5-20 plants that are easily picked and disposed of in a few minutes.
- Never, ever graze or mow this weed. 25% of seed remains viable when consumed by cattle and can spread across an entire pasture in a single year through grazing pressure. The plant produces new flowers at every point of breakage, so mowing actually increases seed-set and helps spread the seeds.
- There are many herbicides available that control scentless chamomile. In a pasture or rangeland situation, residual herbicides are often the most cost-effective option.
- Two biological control agents have been established at several sites within Alberta.
More Photos:
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
