Rush Skeletonweed

Information

Chondrilla juncea - Asteraceae Family

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Identification

Flowers: Flowers are small and yellow and develop in the mid-summer to fall. Mature, healthy plants can produce 1,500 flower heads and up to 20,000 seeds.
Seeds: Fruit is oblong, tapered at both ends, and pale to dark brown. Seed production continues from July into November.
Leaves: Coarse-looking, multiple stems appear leafless due to inconspicuous leaves and arise from a basal rosette of sharply lobed leaves. Both stem and leaves produce a milky sap when broken.
Flowering Time: Flowers bloom from July to September.
Life cycle: Rush Skeletonweed is a rosette in the early spring that resembles a dandelion. The plant will bolt in a few days, growing 1 to 4 feet in height. It germinates in the fall and winters as a rosette.

Impacts

Rush Skeletonweed commonly infests agricultural fields. Once there, it can reduce yield by up to 80%.
It can clog and damage harvesting machinery, delaying harvests and costing farming operations profits.
Rush Skeletonweed has been known to pose a choking hazard to livestock in its adult stage.

Most effective control methods

Due to its prolific seed production, extensive root system, and regenerative capabilities, Rush Skeletonweed is nearly impossible to eradicate once it’s well established.
For very small infestations, hand pulling can control Rush Skeletonweed with consistent efforts over 6 to 10 years. Remove every single root, as root segments as small as 1 inch are able to produce a new plant.
Rush Skeletonweed can be effectively controlled only through a combination of chemical and biological control methods. Several biological control agents are currently available and, when combined with herbicides such as 2,4-D can provide effective long-term control of Rush Skeletonweed.

Rush skeletonweed: flower

Rush skeletonweed: rosette

Rush skeletonweed: seeds

Rush skeletonweed

Rush skeletonweed: flower and seed

Rush skeletonweed: root

Rush skeletonweed: infestation

Rush skeletonweed: foliage