Page 45 - Mar/Apr 2022 Outdoor Okahoma Magazine

Johnsongrass has rounded, darker red stems. As john- germinates the year it was produced. But the smaller
songrass matures, it also develops a bright midline vein seed can germinate later in the season it was produced,
down the center of its leaves. or in the following year. That means we may have to fight
“I don’t actively manage for johnsongrass in the units. the same crop of cocklebur, an annual plant, for at least
I’d much prefer barnyardgrass or another native plant two years. In fact, some studies suggest that their seeds
to be growing. But johnsongrass can provide ducks with can remain viable for up to 5 years, making it a very chal-
some seed and invertebrate cover, so it’s a decent Plan B lenging adversary.”
if all else fails.” Being able to recognize the tiny pointed leaves of
Another common set of wetland look-alikes is annu- newly germinated cockleburs allows Banta to take steps
al sunflower and Banta’s wetland enemy No. 1: rough to control the less-desirable plant, through herbicide
cocklebur. When the plants first sprout, the initial leaves or shallow flooding, before it takes hold and dominates
of both species are long and narrow. But while the sun- the wetland.
flower’s initial pair of leaves are rounded at the end, the Boots-on-the-ground experience has been Banta’s
cocklebur’s leaves are more pointed. As the plants grow, best teacher for early plant identification, but he’s also
the incoming leaves are both heart-shaped, but other dif- leaned on other wetland managers and wetland man-
ferences can be more readily seen. The sunflower has agement guides from the Natural Resource Conservation
extremely rough “hairy” stems, while the cocklebur has Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to better recog-
more smooth stems with purple streaking or spotting. nize and manage Love Valley WMA’s plant communities.
“As frustrating as cocklebur can be, the plant’s life strat- Begin gathering your wetland resource library or reach
egy is truly fantastic,” Banta said. “It’s an annual plant, out to the Wildlife Department for an in-person visit with
but each ‘bur’ has two seeds. The larger seed typically a biologist to better understand your wetland.

DAVID BAntA/ODWC

Wetland management practices at Stevens Springs Wetland Development Unit produced this stand of Pennsylvania smartweed last year.
The field was flooded before hunting season to attract ducks and benefit hunters.

MARCH/APRIL 2022 43

2/16/2022 2:39:08 PM
OutdoorOK-2022-March-April.indd 43
OutdoorOK-2022-March-April.indd 43 2/16/2022 2:39:08 PM