Have you been fighting the weeds yet this spring? Whether it is in gardens, yards, or fields, the weeds seem to be a perpetual problem. These weeds, particularly the non-native and noxious weeds, seem to be constantly cussed and discussed. But we often give little thought to the native weedy species.
Webster’s New World Dictionary defines a weed as “any undesirable, uncultivated plant, especially one growing in profusion so as to crowd out a desired crop, disfigure a lawn, etc.” Another commonly used definitions for a weed is "a plant out of place," or perhaps "a plant that does not have human utility." Either way, we often think of weeds as non-native plants (some will use the term exotic) that have been deliberately or inadvertently introduced and have become invasive or in other ways problematic.
We seldom, however, give any consideration to the native “weedy plants.” Consider for a moment a fast-growing native plant that has a short life span (maybe an annual or short-lived perennial) that produces lots of small seeds that get widely dispersed. That is descriptive of a weedy species.
These weedy plants have the ability to quickly colonize disturbed areas which may be unstable and/or unpredictable. As such, these weedy plants are well adapted and thrive in disturbed areas, so they are the plants we often see on disturbed areas, ranging from blowouts in the sand hills, old gopher mounds, around abandoned fox or badger dens, or following grassland or forest fires, etc. As the old saying goes, “nature abhors a vacuum.” So, weedy natives to the rescue.
These weedy species are important components of the early successional stage plant communities. Because they are quick to colonize the area, they help stabilize the soil and reduce erosion. Their vegetative growth will provide food and cover for animals, flowers for pollinators, and seeds for a wide range of seed eating birds, small mammals, and others. Over a few seasons of growth these plants will enrich the soil with their organic matter and also increase nutrient cycling before yielding to another community of plants.
So, the next time you see a few hearty plants occupying some of these disturbed sites on the grasslands or wooded areas, give some thought to the important ecological functions these weedy natives are providing.
