May, 1, 2014, Medicine Hat, Alta. – Southern Albertans are preparing to
wield shovels to prevent a plant called baby's breath from choking out
an endangered flower found in only a few spots on the Prairies.
May, 1, 2014, Medicine Hat, Alta. – Southern Albertans are preparing to wield shovels to prevent a plant called baby's breath from choking out an endangered flower found in only a few spots on the Prairies.
Baby's breath, often used in floral arrangements and as an ornamental shrub, is an invasive weed that is threatening the rare plant called Tiny Cryptantha in Medicine Hat.
Last year, naturalists, city staff, a college student and an oil well services company worked to remove 30,000 baby's breath plants.
But new seeds have blown in on tumbleweeds and the plant has a deep taproot, which makes it hard to kill.
Starting May 12, the group is to resume digging out the weeds to keep them from spreading.
Tiny Cryptantha plants are found in a few parts of southern Alberta and Saskatchewan and are listed as endangered under the federal Species At Risk Act.
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