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Beneficial Management
Practices for Saskatchewan
Species at Risk:
Western Spiderwort
Threatened
• Plants 5-60 cm tall
• Grass-like, alternate leaves
10-30 cm long
• Clusters of up to 25
blue, rose or white flowers
• 3 round petals
Sarah Vinge
• Perennial flowering late
June to early July
• Inhabits partially stabilized and active
sand dunes
• Prefers south and southwest facing
slopes where snow is more abundant and
sun exposure is greatest
• Located in the Elbow Community Pasture
and Douglas Provincial Park in the Elbow
Sand Hills
• Status: Threatened
• Decline due to habitat loss to cropland
(historical), dune stabilization, exclusion by
invasive alien species, ATV use on dunes,
sand and gravel extraction, road/right-ofway maintenance, and high intensity
grazing
• Most current SK estimate: ~48,700 plants
Beneficial Management Practices
Grazing
• Graze moderately during late season
• Graze every year but graze heavily in some
to help destabilize dunes and reduce
woody and other competing vegetation
• Use methods that do not disturb native
herbaceous ground cover when clearing
brush to improve range or access
Invasive Alien Plant Species
• Avoid using herbicides in the vicinity of a
Western Spiderwort population
• Biological control of leafy spurge using
insects may benefit Western Spiderwort
• Seed non-invasive forages if seeding
adjacent to Western Spiderwort site or
consider using native forages
Roads
• Place any roads, trails and other
developments away from known plants
• Avoid use of existing roads and trails
adjacent to spiderwort sites during
growing season
• Eradicate or control spread of invasive
plant infestations along roads and trails
adjacent to spiderwort sites