22 Summer 2018 Applegater Native thistles are good for Whoa to woad hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, birds BY BARBARA MUMBLO BY SUZIE SAVOIE We have another noxious weed never aggressive and won’t spread of concern in our valley—dyer’s rapidly like their nonnative and woad (Isatis tinctoria). In the Yreka invasive relatives. If you currently area, where it is prolific, this plant have native thistles growing on is also called Marlahan mustard, your land, please don’t pull them! reportedly due to the person who True thistles belong to the received the piano, around which genus Cirsium. California has the mustard weed was wrapped, 19 native species of thistle in the that came to Yreka from Scotland genus Cirsium, while Oregon in the 1800s. has 14. Some of these species Dyer’s woad is a native of have multiple subspecies as well, Europe and Central Asia but has making for a lot of diversity been found in the lower reaches in color, leaf shape, size, and of Williams Creek and down the spininess. Thistles are in the Applegate River. It’s also found on sunflower family (Asteraceae), the Rogue River from Shady Cove with many individual flowers downstream to west of Grants Pass. packed within each flower head, It spreads along rivers and roads protected by a spiny whorl of modified and can cover dry fields and rocky leaves called bracts. bars along the river. Dyer’s woad in bloom. Nutritious thistle seeds are highly Dyer’s woad is in the mustard prized by birds such as the lesser or family but differs from our common list B noxious weed—weed of economic American goldfinch. According to the mustards by having arrow-shaped leaves importance that is regionally abundant Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, (with more of a blue-green color) that but may have limited distribution in some “Their diet is composed almost entirely of clasp around the stem. The inflorescence counties (which includes Jackson and seeds, with those of the sunflower family, reminds me of a bouquet in shape, and the Josephine counties). particularly thistles, strongly preferred.” flowers are a little lighter yellow than the Some of us have been working on Native thistles in the dakubetede roadless Birds also use the fluffy thistle chaff to common mustard. Another identification controlling this noxious weed, and, to me, area in the Little Applegate foothills. line their nests. feature is the dark brown to black capsules it appears to respond well to digging. We’re The list of butterfly species that use that hang on the plant when it’s in fruit. seeing a good decrease in plants following The Applegate Valley is home to native thistles for nectar is too numerous This plant has been used as a dye (blue, treatments. It will take a few years to get several species of native thistles. Despite to list here. It is common to see butterflies from leaves), thus the name Dyer’s woad. rid of it, but with persistence I think we their beauty and value for pollinators and nectaring on native thistles in the wild. Although it does have a use, the invasive can get it done. If you have this plant, birds, native thistle species have long been Several butterfly species use native thistles nature of this plant makes it undesirable. let me know. We’d like to remove it from undervalued. I often hear people make as a larval host plant, including painted It has low palatability for grazing, is southwest Oregon. Thanks. disparaging comments about thistles when lady (Vanessa cardui), Mylitta crescent allelopathic (suppresses other plants), Barbara Mumblo I talk about growing native thistles for the (Phyciodes mylitta), and the California and is highly competitive. The Oregon 541-890-2091 benefit of wildlife. They say, “Thistles are crescent (Phyciodes orseis). Department of Agriculture rates it as a [email protected] horrible. Why would you want those?” Hummingbirds are especially fond of What they don’t realize, however, is that thistle nectar, often spending a considerable native thistles play a critical role in native amount of time around a thistle patch ■ LAVENDER ecosystems. Native thistles get a bad rap while sipping nectar in between aerial Continued from page 1 simply because of the association with acrobatics. Additionally, native bees and English lavender essential oil. We their weedy, invasive relatives like bull pollinating flies and beetles also forage on have come across several medicinal thistle (Cirsium vulgare) and Canada thistle and pollinate native thistles. uses for lavender and recommend (Cirsium arvense). Native thistles inhabit a variety of it for those applications that we Bull thistle was introduced into Oregon habitat types. The showy and beautiful have personally experienced. in the late 1800s, and it now occurs in red-flowered Western or cobweb thistle Bee’s stings every county in the state. Canada thistle (Cirsium occidentale) is found on poor soil Having kept bees for years, has been around for about the same with good drainage with harsh sun, in open we have been stung by honeybees time, and once established, it is a fierce grassland, and in chaparral or rocky areas and bumblebees. There is only competitor, exuding allelopathic chemicals with very little surrounding competition one remedy we would ever Lavender essential oil. that inhibit the growth and survival of from other plants. It is a biennial plant recommend: lavender essential neighboring native plants. Just the mere that forms a rosette the first year, flowering oil. A drop of oil applied to a bee’s sting and the studies simply back up this very mention of yellow star thistle (Centaurea the second year before producing seed and is like an instant off switch for pain. It reasonable claim. solstitialis)—a knapweed, not a true dying out. The elegant white-flowered doesn’t lessen the pain, it doesn’t make it Manage stress thistle—makes the blood boil of those who Ashland thistle (Cirsium ciliolatum) can be more comfortable—it turns the pain off Given the number of clinical studies live in an area with a heavy infestation. found in full sun to part shade on the edge instantly! that show changes in brain chemistry These are highly invasive plants that are a of oak woodlands or mixed conifer forests. Insect bites when lavender is introduced into the real threat to native ecosystems as well as Ashland thistle is a rare and endemic thistle Some of us are barely affected by environment, I would have to say that to economic interests in agricultural areas. that grows only in southwest Oregon and mosquitoes and the like. I get a tiny red this claim holds water. Aromatherapists So why does the justified distaste for extreme northwest California. dot that itches for a minute or two and use lavender as their go-to scent for stress nonnative invasive thistles seep into some When hiking around this summer, if then disappears. My wife, though, gets a relief. Of all the claims I have heard about people’s psyche, affecting their perception you see a thistle in the wild, think twice solid red lump that itches for days. I am lavender, this one seems to be the most of native thistles? Is it simply because before assuming it’s an invasive, nonnative reliably informed that a drop of lavender readily accepted. thistles are spiny? Is it because people only thistle. And if you see a native thistle, essential oil applied to the bite eases the Keep bugs at bay associate thistles with weeds? It’s hard to say consider yourself lucky and enjoy the itch considerably. A gentleman came to the farm some for certain why this is, but what we can say, pollinator show! Minor burns years ago and asked for two bunches of with certainty, is that native thistles deserve Suzie Savoie A minor burn is that red line on the lavender. As I was wrapping them, he a spot in your pollinator garden or a site on Conservation Chair, Siskiyou Chapter back of your hand that appears when mentioned that they were to hang in your land with good drainage, good sun, Native Plant Society of Oregon you reach into a hot oven and touch the his home because he had an issue with and little competition. Native thistles are [email protected] wire shelf above. A few drops of lavender flies. He said that he had read that flies essential oil rubbed gently onto a minor were deterred by hanging lavender. I burn will not only diminish the pain, but was compelled to explain that there were of the nose. Before you reach for your use it and enjoy that moment of calm and also reduce scarring. If your skin is broken around two thousand bunches of lavender lavender essential oil and a handkerchief, I tranquility that lavender seems to bring. or blistered, I would strongly recommend hanging in the barn at the time and that should point out that all of the test subjects We hope to see you during the a medical professional instead. I, too, suffered with an abundance of flies. in the trials held the lavender under their Lavender Festival weekends in June Sleep aid Flies, spiders, and all other manner of bugs nose for two 20-minute sessions each day. and July. For more information, visit If you are someone who finds sleep may indeed dislike the smell of lavender, It may well be worth it, but it’s a serious southernoregonlavendertrail.com and elusive on occasion, then lavender might but in my experience, they don’t dislike it commitment! englishlavenderfarm.com. be for you. Studies by the universities in enough to stay away from it. Most people, myself included, find the Derek Owen Southampton (UK) and Miami, Florida, Fix for menopausal hot flashes scent of lavender to be calming, perhaps [email protected] and many others have proven that the To the best of my knowledge there have even comforting. It is the scent of summer The English Lavender Farm is located at smell of lavender does indeed promote been two clinical trials where lavender and, for many of us, transports us back to 8040 Thompson Creek Road in Applegate. In alpha waves in the brain, which can lead essential oil was used to mitigate hot the parlor of an aunt or grandmother and addition to the lavender festival days, their to easier and more restful sleep. While I flashes. Both reported benefits for the test recollections of our youth. farm and gift shop are open to visitors on don’t use this personally, I have heard a subjects and both recommended inhaling Whatever your own applications for Fridays through Mondays in June and July huge amount of anecdotal evidence of this, lavender oil placed on a tissue held in front this delightful herb, I hope you continue to from 10 am - 4 pm.