10-25 FB Medussa

 Just when we thought cheatgrass was an invasive species of the worst form, along comes Medussa named after the Greek myth who had snakes for hair and turned you into stone if you looked at her. According to an article in deseretnews.com, new research suggests that an invasive plant called Medusa head will keep taking over rangelands in the West, vastly reducing the grazing potential for livestock as well as wildlife.

The study published in the latest issue of the Journal of Arid Environments confirmed the hypothesis that one reason Medusa head is taking over is because most years it grows faster and for a longer period than native grasses and even other invasive plants, such as cheatgrass. Livestock can and will eat cheatgrass which helps control it…but not Medussa Head and Range Specialist Wally Butler tells us why: “Medussa Head rye is an annual grass with a lot of silicate so it is not palatable to livestock.”