How to Control Woolly Croton
Wooly croton is an invasive annual weed native to the warmer climates of North America. The plant grows from one to three feet in height and will overpower more productive rangeland grasses if allowed. It is not useful as a livestock food but the seeds are a natural feed to birds including game birds such as doves and turkeys. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Control of wooly croton
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Spraying of wooly croton should be attempted early in the year. Forage research done by Texas A&M found that 93 percent of wool croton was killed with an early application of a variety of herbicides. For the purpose of the study early season spraying was conducted on April 23 when broad leaf weeds were approximately two inches tall.
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Spraying wooly croton later in the season will still bring results, although not as good as early spring spraying. A May 23rd spraying, with plants averaging 14 inches in height, conducted as part of Texas A&M study, still gave 80 percent control of wooly croton.
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Plowing grounds infested with wooly croton, or any other form of mechanical removal of the plant, needs to be done before the plant goes to seed. Wooly croton is an annual, and new plants sprout from seeds each spring. Any control effort after the plant has dropped its seeds will have no affect on future stands of wooly croton in the pasture.
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Tips & Warnings
Wooly croton is considered a problem plant in pasture and rangeland settings. University of Texas research shows that for each pound of wooly croton removed from the pasture a pound or more of useful livestock forage can be grown.
