Cattle pasture mix ID

Brooks WV · #1 07/29/12, 09:45 AM

I seeded my new pasture with a cattle pasture mix, but cannot figure out what this plant is! It's not growing anywhere else, so I'd assume it came out of the seed mix, but I've looked up pictures of all the seeds listed and it doesn't look like any of them. Can anyone ID this plant? My Highlands seem to love the stuff, and haven't died yet.

~Mark

rhaige9 · #2 07/29/12, 01:15 PM

I have that stuff growing all over here in Idaho. Mostly between the hot fence and the irrigation pipes where the horses don't get to eat. No idea what it is, but it's in Idaho too.

Callieslamb · #3 07/29/12, 01:58 PM

It's in my vegetable garden - a very prolific annoyance.

genebo · #4 07/29/12, 04:31 PM

Look at purple loosestrife.

Purple loosestrife Images and Stock Photos. 67 purple loosestrife photography and royalty free pictures available to download from over 100 stock photo companies.

It's very invasive.

topside1 · #5 07/29/12, 06:15 PM

It's called "smart weed"....I've got plenty of it....Topside

Danaus29 · #6 07/29/12, 06:17 PM

Smartweed. I had a bunch in my rabbit pen last year.

topside1 · #7 07/29/12, 06:20 PM

My goats and cattle eat it as a taste change, mine grows thick in moist shaded bottom areas. My research years ago proved it to be quite nutritional for ruminants. I've even eaten some, didn't feel any smarter though....Topside

rhaige9 · #8 07/29/12, 06:47 PM

Huh. This page Medicinal Plants- Pennsylvania Smartweed says that the whole plant poultice can be used as an insect repellent.

topside1 · #9 07/29/12, 06:54 PM

It has pepper qualities, asian cultures make spices from plants in the same family...Topside

Brooks WV · #10 07/29/12, 10:32 PM

I think it's Mild Water Pepper. Mild Water-pepper (Polygonum hydropiperoides)

ashleep · #11 07/31/12, 06:53 AM

Yep, smartweed. It is invasive like another poster said. My jersey loves it, but luckily it's not in our pasture. I say luckily because the flavor is not something I want transferred to our milk.

Do you mind sharing where you got your pasture mix?

blaineiac · #12 07/31/12, 09:54 AM

If you keep bees,and there is smartweed you have to pull your honey in late June. The smartweed will give it a bite that makes you think you are eating nettles. Blaine

ashleep · #13 07/31/12, 12:33 PM

blaineiac, thank you for that info! I was not aware of that. I wonder if there are enough other flowers in bloom if they'll bypass the smartweed. I don't know how I could get all of it out of here; it's everywhere!

blaineiac · #14 07/31/12, 02:24 PM

I pull all my honey by the end of june and hope for enough goldenrod, aster, and smartweed to get them through the winter. I really like the early tree honey, Locust and Poplar.