Stem

  • Multiple, up to 4 ft. tall and highly branched; contains white, milky sap
  • Lacks hair (glabrous) except lower 4-6 in. which is covered with coarse, downward-pointing, reddish-brown hairs
Photo of rush skeletonweed stem

Leaves

  • Rosette leaves resemble dandelion; 2-5 in. long, 0.5-2 in. wide and lack hair; edges (margins) are irregular with shallow lobes and are often purplish; rosette leaves usually wither at bolting
  • Stems have very few leaves; typically narrow with smooth edges; inconspicuous
Photo of rush skeletonweed

Flower

  • Yellow; 0.75 in. wide; 7-15 linear petals with toothed tips; can be alone or in small clusters scattered along branches
  • Seed tipped with a white, parachute-like pappus that allows it to be spread by wind
Photo of rush skeletonweed

Root

  • Deep taproot and shot creeping lateral roots
Photo of rush skeletonweed

Other

  • Grows best in well-drained soils; often infests roadsides, rangelands and waste areas; not known to occur in Nevada
  • Perennial; reproduced by seed and roots
 

Control

  • Repeated hand-removal of individual plants (including roots) and frequent tillage are effective
  • Several biological control agents are available
  • Apply 2,4-D, clopyralid, dicamba, glyphosate, or picloram to actively growing plants; apply aminopyralid or imazapyr pre- or post emergence
Blecker, L., Creech, E., Dick, J., Gephart, S., Hefner, M., Kratsch, H., Moe, A., Schultz, B. 2020, Nevada Noxious Weed Field Guide – Rush skeletonweed, Extension, University of Nevada, Reno, Field Guide

Learn more about the author(s)

Heidi Kratsch
Heidi Kratsch
 

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