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Wildflower, weed debate meets happy median

I wish the planters in the center of the U.S. Highway 550/160 intersection were better maintained. They are currently full of noxious weeds obscuring the wildflowers. Is it the state’s responsibility or city or county? Perhaps someone could adopt them for weeding and trash removal? – Meredith Mallett

Before we delve into jurisdictional issues, let’s get the dirt on just what constitutes a “weed.”

An oft-quoted definition says, “a weed is a plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.”

Take purslane: That’s the stuff with succulent leaves that resembles a flat, miniature jade plant.

Mrs. Action Line pulls a lot of purslane these days in a newly planted street-side “hell strip,” which features waterwise groundcovers and perennials.

Even the toughest plants need to get “established,” which is gardener-speak for carefully nurturing plants so that they can be abused, neglected and eventually die.

Anytime you disturb soils or apply water, you’ll have weeds. But are weeds bad?

Katrina Blair, founder of Turtle Lake Refuge, doesn’t think so.

Her new book, The Wild Wisdom of Weeds: 13 Essential Plants for Human Survival, profiles a baker’s dozen of weeds with culinary benefits, including purslane, thistle, dandelion and other scorned thugs of horticulture.

Weed it and reap.

So, let’s get back to those beds in the middle of the highway.

The city of Durango maintains the medians with the trees and the Arc of History island. Irrigation has been installed in those locations.

Meanwhile, the medians with dryland wildflowers are the reluctant charges of the Colorado Department of Transportation.

We say “reluctant” because CDOT is not in the grounds-keeping business. The agency doesn’t have the budget, experience, desire or mandate to do so.

Nevertheless, CDOT is a good neighbor, and it seeded the media strip with some of best selections of drought-tolerant bloomers.

Our good friend Nancy Shanks, CDOT spokeswoman, dug around for the details and got to the root of the matter.

“There were some thistles, so we pulled them and sprayed for noxious weeds,” she said. “Otherwise, the drought-tolerant flowers are still getting established, and they are doing quite well with this year’s early rains.”

Action Line made a drive-by garden tour. The gaillardia, tickseed, bachelor buttons and other species are looking good.

In the struggle between weeds and flowers, we’ve reached a happy medium for the happy median.

It’s a wild “meadowy” look, so that might upset the petunia-and-marigold crowd or those who see an emerald-green golf course as horticulture’s crowning achievement.

Some would point to the weedy yellow sweet clover growing in the medians. But is clover a weed?

Despite its prevalence, it’s not on the La Plata County noxious list. In fact, the plant was introduced by beekeepers long ago.

So, one person’s weed is another person’s pollinator.

Action Line needs to wrap up this column because the purslane beckons, along with bindweed, lambsquarters and crabgrass.

The philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau observed: “Plant, and your spouse plants with you; weed, and you weed alone.”

Thank goodness Mrs. Action Line doesn’t put much stock in the French intelligentsia.

H H H

Action Line went (ahem) “astray” in referring to the county’s critter department. Thanks to our good friend Gary Skiba, director of animal protection for the La Plata County Humane Society, for the clarification.

“Our group is called Animal PROTECTION, not Animal CONTROL,” Skiba writes.

“That’s more than a cosmetic difference; it reflects our philosophy that we’re primarily concerned with animal welfare, along with the welfare of people and wildlife.”

Email questions to actionline@durangoherald.com or mail them to Action Line, The Durango Herald, 1275 Main Ave., Durango, CO 81301. You can request anonymity if you’re thankful that Action Line refrained from making a lame marijuana joke in a column about weeds.

May 23, 2016
Rocks end flowers vs. weeds debate at busy intersection


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