ForageFax Weed of the Week: Hemp Dogbane

Hemp dogbane is an upright perennial growing 1 to 3 feet tall, usually sprouting from woody horizontal rootstocks. Its leaves are smooth, elliptical, narrow and erect. Flowers are small with five greenish-white petals. Leaves and stems have a milky sap. Seed pods are long and slender. Hemp dogbane plants produce from 800-12,000 seeds per plant. Each plant usually has 10 to 60 seed pods and each pod contains between 80-200 seeds. Hemp dogbane is very competitive. It can reduce forage yields if not controlled. Hemp dogbane prefers low-lying wet areas but can grow in dry upland soils, as well. Read more…