Comments on: June Blooms: Dame’s Rocket http://www.wqed.org/birdblog/2009/06/12/june-blooms-dames-rocket/ A Bird Blog with Kate St. John Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:53:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.4 By: Mary Ann Pike http://www.wqed.org/birdblog/2009/06/12/june-blooms-dames-rocket/comment-page-1/#comment-7652 Mary Ann Pike Mon, 15 Jun 2009 19:18:19 +0000 http://www.wqed.org/birdblog/?p=7278#comment-7652 Thanks for publishing this. I have to look more carefully at the flowers in the park next to my house. I always thought they were phlox but maybe they are Dame's Rocket. I don't know about the philosophy of growing things that are invasive and counting on the practice of cutting off the seed heads to prevent the spread of the plant. I heard a few years ago that someone in Washington County does this with Giant Hog Weed...I guess it hasn't spread yet, but in my mind this plant is so dangerous that it should not be allowed to be grown at all, even if the person promises to cut the seed heads off. At least Dame's Rocket is pretty and has a nice scent, and isn't dangerous (as far as I know). I guess it still might crowd out native flowers. Invasives that annoy me are Japanese Honeysuckle bushes (a number have sprung up in my yard), and crown vetch, which was designed to be aggressive, but woe to anyone (like me) who lives next to a hillside where it was planted to stabilize the soil. Thanks for publishing this. I have to look more carefully at the flowers in the park next to my house. I always thought they were phlox but maybe they are Dame’s Rocket.

I don’t know about the philosophy of growing things that are invasive and counting on the practice of cutting off the seed heads to prevent the spread of the plant. I heard a few years ago that someone in Washington County does this with Giant Hog Weed…I guess it hasn’t spread yet, but in my mind this plant is so dangerous that it should not be allowed to be grown at all, even if the person promises to cut the seed heads off. At least Dame’s Rocket is pretty and has a nice scent, and isn’t dangerous (as far as I know). I guess it still might crowd out native flowers.

Invasives that annoy me are Japanese Honeysuckle bushes (a number have sprung up in my yard), and crown vetch, which was designed to be aggressive, but woe to anyone (like me) who lives next to a hillside where it was planted to stabilize the soil.

]]> By: Kate St. John http://www.wqed.org/birdblog/2009/06/12/june-blooms-dames-rocket/comment-page-1/#comment-7628 Kate St. John Sat, 13 Jun 2009 11:13:16 +0000 http://www.wqed.org/birdblog/?p=7278#comment-7628 Marcy, you make a good point. If you don't let the seeds disperse they can't "invade." Also, an easy way to tell the difference between Dame's Rocket and Phlox is that Dame's Rocket has four-petaled flowers, Phlox has five. Marcy, you make a good point. If you don’t let the seeds disperse they can’t “invade.”
Also, an easy way to tell the difference between Dame’s Rocket and Phlox is that Dame’s Rocket has four-petaled flowers, Phlox has five.

]]> By: Marcy C http://www.wqed.org/birdblog/2009/06/12/june-blooms-dames-rocket/comment-page-1/#comment-7627 Marcy C Sat, 13 Jun 2009 00:49:54 +0000 http://www.wqed.org/birdblog/?p=7278#comment-7627 Everyone thinks these are PHLOX, but they aren't. I have some in the yard and keep things under control by cutting the seed heads off before they mature. They are great attractors for bees, butterflies and hummers, even though they are invasive. Plus they are some of the first color of the early summer before the perennials begin to bloom. Everyone thinks these are PHLOX, but they aren’t. I have some in the yard and keep things under control by cutting the seed heads off before they mature. They are great attractors for bees, butterflies and hummers, even though they are invasive. Plus they are some of the first color of the early summer before the perennials begin to bloom.

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