Dear HCN,
It appears that there is
some misunderstanding between Evan Cantor and myself concerning the
status of Euphorbia myrsinites (donkeytail spurge). Cantor
originally (-It rhymes with scourge’) claimed that the plant was a
“fast-moving, aggressive invader” that was taking over “prairie and
foothill meadows’ and that the plant will “soon be everywhere”
(HCN, 6/22/98).
Euphorbia myrsinites has not
escaped into 99.999 percent of Colorado; this is easily verified by
anyone who drives throughout the state and looks for the plant.
It’s been in cultivation for over 40 years, and will occasionally
escape into the wild. The plants are easily controlled by digging
them up prior to flowering. I’ve done it, and so have
others.
I stand by my statements that Evan Cantor
is grossly exaggerating the
situation.
Robert
Nold
Lakewood,
Colorado
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline No scourge here.
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