Spotted Knapweed - PROHIBITED NOXIOUS

The three photos that I've posted this morning were all taken yesterday, 13 August 2015, when I spent about three hours with friends at Heritage Park in Calgary. One of them is a volunteer at the Park and she had very kindly invited us to visit.

The temperature got up to 33°C or 34°C yesterday!! We started our visit at 9:45 am, so it was still cooler than that, but as the heat increased in the afternoon, it became unbearable. Fortunately, I had a dentist appointment mid-afternoon, so I knew I would have maybe an hour and a half in air-conditioning before returning to my home that felt like an oven. Our forecast, so far, is giving much cooler temperatures for the coming week, thank goodness!

Our walk at Heritage Park was a combination of looking at the various old buildings and also checking on plants. There is a small native plant garden within the Hudson Bay Fort and we talked to a volunteer there, who I think may have learned a few new things from talking with us : )

www.heritagepark.ca/

www.heritagepark.ca/plan-your-visit/interactive-park-map....

We had been told before our visit that the Prohibited Noxious weed, Spotted Knapweed / Centaurea maculosa, had been seen at the Park, and we did find it, growing along a gravel road that led down by the Glenmore Reservoir. This species is a prolific seed producer and is very difficult to control. I've seen two different scientific names given for this plant and I'm not sure which is the more correct one - Centaurea maculosa or Centaurea stoebe ssp. micranthos. The stiff bracts are black-tipped, giving the plant its ‘spotted’ appearance.

www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$Department/deptdocs.nsf/all/prm13944

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centaurea_maculosa

Despite the heat, we had a very enjoyable visit. Heritage Park is a place I always intend to go to, but somehow I rarely make it. This was a treat, so thanks so much, Susan!