Spring has sprung at Devil's Lake State Park, and with it comes a charming little…
WI Gov. Tony Evers proclaimed June as Invasive Species Action Month to encourage us all to help prevent the introduction and spread of invasive species that harm our native wildlife & landscapes. Of course, this is the time of year when you see many park Friends groups get out and help manage invasives!
With that in mind, we’re going to take a look at a few of the more problematic invasives in the Devil’s Lake / Baraboo Hills area. Today, we’ll talk about Dame’s Rocket. (We’ll hold off on Garlic mustard for the moment!)
Invading Wisconsin Since 1922!
Dame’s Rocket was introduced in Wisconsin in 1922 as an ornamental flower and has spread all over since. You’ll see it all over our area, on roadsides, in forests, along hiking trails, and on the banks of the Baraboo river right in the city. Dame’s rocket can quickly take over an area, crowding out native plants. It is also thought that it may prepare the area for other invasive such as garlic mustard to get a foothold. (It’s a gateway flower!) Dame’s Rocket and Garlic mustard are actually related and part of the mustard family. AND like garlic mustard, you can’t just pull them and leave them on the ground after they flower, because the seeds will still form on the pulled plant, and spread. So like garlic mustard, you must pull it, bag it, and burn it. NEVER, pull it and leave it lying on a trail or roadside!
Don’t Get Confused!!
One thing to note, Dame’s Rocket looks a lot like our native Prairie Phlox. While it is taller, the easiest way to tell the difference is to look at the flower. Dames Rocket has 4 petals, phlox has 5.
But It’s Pretty!
So, one push-back I hear about Dame’s Rocket sometimes is that it’s OK because it’s pretty. What do you think? One article I read called it a “naturalized flower”. If a plant is crowding out Wisconsin’s native plants should it be allowed to do so if we think it’s attractive? Is Dame’s Rocket a non-issue? Tell us what you think in the comments below or on our Facebook page.
References & More Reading
- Dame’s Rocket – Wisconsin UW Horticulture
- Plant of the Week: Rocket, Dame’s – University of Arkansas
- Dame’s Rocket Experiencing Explosive Growth as an Invasive Weed – Top Crop Manager
- Dame’s Rocket, An Invasive Confused For Phlox, Is A Common Sight In Wisconsin – WisContext
For nearly 2 decades the Skillet Creek blog has focused on 3 main goals; To inspire you to visit and explore the Devil’s Lake region, to help you get the most your visit by sharing tips, events, and other helpful information. Lastly to advocate for our environment & wildlife and talk about how we can keep our natural areas amazing now and into the future! That last goal can sometimes cause controversy, but it’s the only way we can accomplish the first two. – Derrick Mayoleth, Owner.
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Pull it, bag it, and burn it. It’s part of the mustard family and does far more harm to the native species plants than it’s “beauty” is worth. Unchecked they really do take over large areas and at the same time allow in other varieties of the mustard species. Thank You to all that volunteer helping police and eradicate these harmful species.