Roundup Record Tribune & Winnett Times -

Meriel Beck, Weed Coordinator

Musselshell and Golden Valley Co.

Ventenata was added to the noxious weed list for Montana earlier this year, and has been found in some neighboring counties. It is time for residents of Musselshell and Golden Valley Counties to be on the lookout for Ventenata and be proactive on keeping it out of our Counties. Prevention is the best means to control Ventenata and early detection means educating ourselves.

Ventenata was found in the northeast in 1952 and first documented in Montana in the mid-1990s and is a growing concern due to its continual spread and ecological impacts in native rangeland, pastures, and crop lands. It has no value for forge, decreases production of native species up to 50% in infested areas, increases soil erosion, and is a big concern for fuel for wild fires due to the heavy duff it produces.

Ventenata is a winter annual grass which means that it germinates in the fall, lives through the winter, and then in early spring produces seeds then dies in early summer. It typically grows 6-18 inches tall and has red nodes on the stem of the grass. The awns (sharp sometimes barbed appendages growing from the flower or seeds) of Ventenata are bent and twisted. Awns can easily attach to fur, clothing, and machinery, which can spread the seeds quickly. The seeds are spread out on the main stem not bunched up at the top like cheat grass. One plant can produce 15 to 35 seeds, dense infestations can produce 2800 to 3700 seeds per square foot, and seed are viable for 2 to 3 years. Ventenata seedlings emerge later than cheat grass in the spring and are thinner and more needle like. Cheat grass as it matures turns reddish purple while Ventenata remains green to a tawny brown. Ventenata mostly germinates in the fall, but some can germinate in the spring which means it can be more invasive than most winter annual grasses. In Idaho Ventenata has out competed cheat grass infested areas and completely taken over. Management of Ventenata is, first prevention, know what to look for, catching small infestations early and stop the spread to any other area. Herbicide treatments are affective if the application timing is right. If you think that you have spotted Ventenata in our area pull a couple of plants, with some roots and bring them into the Weed Distirct office at 204 8th Ave East Roundup or the Extention office same address for identacation. For more information about Ventenada or any other noxious weed please call the Weed Distict at 323-3740.