Rocky View County officials are warning landowners to be on the lookout for a deceptively attractive but highly invasive plant threatening pastures and hay fields in the region’s northwest.
Field scabious, also known as pincushion flower (Knautia arvensis), is listed as a noxious weed under Alberta’s Weed Control Act. Despite its purple blooms, officials say the plant’s deep tap root and prolific seed output make it a serious risk to native vegetation and agricultural land.
"Once spotted, it needs to be controlled right away," the County stated in a June 2 advisory.
Each plant can grow up to five feet tall and generate as many as 2,000 seeds per season. Those seeds can remain dormant in the soil for years before germinating, making early detection and rapid response critical to stopping new infestations.
The County said the plant prefers dry, nutrient-rich soil but can also establish itself in gravel and intact plant communities, often going unnoticed until widespread.
Common control methods include mowing throughout the season to prevent seed development, tilling before flowering in cropland, and the use of targeted herbicides such as metsulfuron-methyl and aminopyralid. All herbicide use must follow label instructions.
"There is a short window for controlling field scabious due to the short period of time the plant flowers," the advisory stated.
Officials also warned residents to be cautious when buying wildflower mixes or ornamental plants, as common names like "pincushion flower" are shared with benign garden species such as Scabiosa japonica.
Native plants that may resemble field scabious include wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) and common harebell (Campanula rotundifolia), both of which serve valuable ecological functions and are not invasive.
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