common crupina
Crupina vulgaris Cass.

Overview

Appearance

Crupina vulgaris is a Federal Noxious Weed and is native to southern Europe. It is a winter annual that grows 1-4 ft. (0.3-1.2 m) tall.

Foliage

Leaves are entire to finely dissected (leaves become more divided towards the apex) and up to 6 in. (15.2 cm) long. Crupina vulgaris begins as a basal rosette and eventually develops alternating dissected leaves that are rough to the touch.

Flowers

Flowers are purple to pink, long, slender (vase-shaped) and bloom from May until soil moisture is depleted.

Fruit

It reproduces by seed.

Ecological Threat

Dense populations of this plant can invade grasslands, pastures, rangelands, forested areas, canyons, riparian areas, roadsides and waste places in the western United States. Grazing (deer or livestock) or cutting can stimulate lateral branching, thereby increasing flower and seed production.

Resources

• Federal Noxious Weed Disseminules of the U.S. - USDA-APHIS
• Wikipedia - Wikimedia Foundation, Inc
• Idaho's Noxious Weeds - The Idaho Association of Soil Conservation Districts

Selected Images

Maps

Invasive Listing Sources

• Alberta Weed Control Act
• California Invasive Plant Council
• California Noxious Weeds
• Colorado Noxious Weeds
• Federal Noxious Weeds
• Florida Noxious Weeds
• Idaho Noxious Weeds
• John Randall, The Nature Conservancy, Survey of TNC Preserves, 1995.
• Massachusetts Noxious Weeds
• Massachusetts Prohibited Plant List
• National Park Service, Mid-Atlantic Exotic Plant Management Team Invasive Plant List
• Nevada Noxious Weeds
• Nonnative Invasive Species in Southern Forest and Grassland Ecosystems
• Ontario’s Invading Species Awareness Program Tracked Species List
• Oregon Noxious Weeds
• Pacific Northwest Exotic Pest Plant Council, 1998
• USDA APHIS Regulated Pest List
• Utah Noxious Weeds - Early Detection Rapid Response Watch List
• Washington Noxious Weeds
• WeedUS - Database of Plants Invading Natural Areas in the United States

References