GoatsrueGoatsrueGoatsrueGoatsrueGoatsrue Galega officinalis Pea Family

Class A Noxious Weed: Eradication Required

King County Noxious Weed ControlProgram Line: 206-477-WEEDwww.kingcounty.gov/weeds

Questions?

KING COUNTY NOXIOUS WEED CONTROL PROGRAM WEED ALERT

Identification TipsPerennial herbaceous plantReaches heights of 4 feetMultiple hollow, tubular upright stems fromvigorous crown and deep taprootAlternate leaves with 13 to 21 leafletsPurple, blue or white pea-like flowers in clustersat the end of the stem

BiologyFlowers from June to OctoberReproduces by seed; one plant can produce up to15,000 seed podsSeeds fall near the plant and are moved byerosion, rain, animals and human activitySeeds remain viable in the soil for at least 5-10years

ImpactsStems and leaves contain a poisonous alkaloid;fatal to humans, sheep and cattle if ingestedDisplaces native and beneficial plantsForms monoculture in wetlandsImpacts wetland wildlife by limiting their food andnesting sources

DistributionLimited distribution in King County; tends to growin wetlands and marshy areas, but has been foundalong roadsides and open fieldsPrefers full sun, but will tolerate light shade

Introduced from the Middle East as alivestock forage plant, Goatsrue proved to beunpalatable and toxic. Flowers range incolors from white, blue to purple.

Goatsrue displaces native plants and itsleaves and stems are poisionous.

Revised June 2007

What You Can DoThe King County Noxious Weed Control Program is actively trying to eradicate goatsruefrom all areas in the county. Do your part by checking for this noxious weed on your property.

Control MethodsBest results come from using a combination of thecontrol methods listed below and actively monitoring forany new growth. Goatsrue forms dense crowns capableof regenerating for several seasons. It also leaves a long-lived seed bank in the soil.

Manual: For small sites with few plants, pull or dig upplants, careful to remove as much root as possible so theplant will not re-sprout. This method can be highly labor-intensive and to be fully effective, all mature plants need tobe removed so no new seeds are produced.

Mechanical: Mowing, clipping and cutting are notrecommended as a sole control measure; goatsrue willflower and produce seeds even when cut short. To beeffective, mechanical measures must be followed withherbicide treatment when the plants regrow. However, seedpods can be clipped and disposed of to help prevent thespread of seeds in areas of eradication work.

Chemical: Follow labels exactly as written and only use products appropriate andlegal for the site. Herbicides should only be applied at the rates specified on the label.Selective broadleaf foliar herbicides with the active ingredient of dicamba or 2,4-D and their

combinations are veryeffective. These herbicideswork well for lawn orpasture areas as they won’tharm grasses. Applyherbicide in early summer,preferably during the budstage and before goatsrue isflowering; Repeat theapplication in the fall. Whenusing foliar herbicides, waituntil the plant has diedcompletely before removingit. This can take two weeksor more. Chemical controloptions may differ for private,commercial and governmentagency users.

Goatsrue has a deep taproot. Be careful toremove as much of it as possible so that itdoesn’t re-sprout.

Don’t be fooled by the lookalikes: Wild licorice plant

Goatsrue closely resembles thenative plant wild licorice (Glycyrrhizalepidota), which is also somewhatweedy. But unlike goatsrue,eradication is not required for wildlicorice. It is commonly found inmeadows, pastures, ditches andalong river banks. The root of wildlicorice is sweet and was animportant food source for NativeAmericans. You can distinguishbetween the two plants primarily bythe stems: goatsrue plants havehollow stems while wild licorice stemsare solid. It also has burlike seedpods with hooked bristles; goatsruehas narrow, smooth seed pods.

kingcounty.gov/weeds ~ 206-477-WEED (206-477-9333) or TTY: 711 ~ noxious.weeds@kingcounty.gov