Download The Enemy: False–hellebore (Veratrum californicum) This lily family

The Enemy: False–hellebore (Veratrum californicum) This lily family native perennial
plant grows up to 4 foot tall, has thick rootstalks with very leafy stems that are
sheathing at the base. The leaves are heavily veined and can grow as long as 12
inches. The plant is also called ‘Skunk cabbage’ as the leaves wrap around each other
similar to how mature cabbage does. The plant produces a dense flower panicle with
white to cream colored flowers. It may be as wide as three feet at the bottom but
grows to almost a point at tip of the plants, losing density as it goes up. It generally
can be found in moist areas such as creeks, marshes, and swamps such as the upper
highlands meadows (like Grays Lake Area). It is very toxic to livestock as well as
humans if ingested.
Strategy: As this plant is keen to very moist areas it can spread rapidly within the
meadows. Its worst issue is that it is toxic to any livestock, especially cattle and sheep.
Illness can occur within a few hours of ingestion, and can cause birth defects. The
plant is also very robust and will crowd out grasses and other broadleaf plants.
THE DEFENSE: Mechanical control can be effective as long as you get most of the
bulbous type of root. Plowing and disking is not effective as the plant has too much
root. Very few herbicides are effective. 2,4-D needs multiple applications to be
effective. Products with Triclopyr such as Garlon, Redeem, or Crossbow applied early in
the year or in the fall after the first killing frost are most effective. But as this is a
native plant, only control it if it is a weed, not just nuisance.