Eating Weeds: Cleavers Coffee
One of the world’s most beloved beverages comes from a species of plant found in the fourth largest family of flowering plants. Rubiaceae, also known as the coffee or bedstraw family, consists of...
View Article2022: Year in Review
It’s time to look back on 2022. But before we do that, I have to acknowledge that January 2023 marks Awkward Botany’s 10 year anniversary. This time ten years ago, I was drafting the introductory post...
View ArticleHighlights from the Western Society of Weed Science Annual Meeting 2023
As soon as I learned that the Western Society of Weed Science‘s annual meeting was going to be held in Boise in 2023, I began making plans to attend. I had attended the annual meeting in 2018 when it...
View ArticleWhat Is Cheatgrass and Why Should I Care?
To understand the current state of rangeland wildfires in the Intermountain West, you must first familiarize yourself with a plant commonly referred to as cheatgrass. This annual grass moved into the...
View ArticleWeeds of Boise: Boise State University Campus, part one
If you live in a major city (or even a minor one), there is a good chance it is home to a college or university (perhaps several). Universities tend to take up a lot of space, which means there is...
View ArticleWeeds of Boise: Boise State University Campus, part two
In part one of this two part series, I introduced you to the Boise State University campus, located in the heart of Boise, Idaho. I’ve been spending the past year walking the campus and cataloging the...
View ArticleWeeds of Boise: Neglected Parking Lot Islands at Post Office on 13th Street
Boise’s summers are decidedly hot and dry. Months can pass without any measurable precipitation, meanwhile temperatures regularly peak in the 90’s. In the heat of the summer, multiple days in a row...
View ArticleNew Weeds Project, etc.
When you make yourself the weeds guy, and the word gets out that you’re the guy to go to when it comes to weeds, invitations and inquiries start coming your way. Usually it’s just someone asking you...
View ArticleWeeds of Boise Takes a GIS Course
Why has this blog been so quiet lately? There are plenty of excuses for that. It doesn’t really matter either way, but since we’re on the subject, one thing that has kept me occupied recently is being...
View Article2024: Year in Review
Happy 2025! Apparently it’s time for another year in review. As I said in last year’s review, 2024 was going to be another year of pollination, in which I would write monthly posts on the topic of...
View ArticleHorticulture’s Weedy Introductions in a Changing Climate
In case I need a reminder that the horticulture industry has a history of introducing weedy plants to natural areas, I get one each time I bike to work. Riding along the Boise River Greenbelt, a trail...
View ArticleTea Time: Self-heal
Prunella vulgaris can be found all over the place. It has also been used to treat just about everything. What else would you expect from a plant known commonly as self-heal, heal-all, all-heal, and...
View ArticleGarden Plants Gone Weedy: Lawn Violets
When garden plants go weedy, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’ve escaped the boundaries of our yards and invaded nearby natural areas or uncultivated spaces. While this is a concern for a significant...
View ArticleUpcoming Book Release and Some Sowthistle Identification
If you’re reading this the day it’s posted, we are two weeks away from my book being released. Common Backyard Weeds of the Pacific Northwest will be available for purchase from your favorite...
View ArticleBook Release and Fun Facts About Cocklebur
My book is out! It showed up a week earlier than expected, a pleasant surprise for anyone who pre-ordered a copy. Common Backyard Weeds of the Pacific Northwest is available now from your favorite...
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