Indiana Invasive Species Awareness Week: Yellow Archangel (Lamium galeobdolon)
SICIM Email
In honor of Indiana Invasive Species Awareness Week, we are highlighting some lesser known species that you need to be on the lookout for! These species have shown invasive tendencies but we don’t have a clear picture of their distribution in Indiana. If you see any of them growing in natural areas, be sure to report them in EDDMaps so that we can get a clearer understanding of their location and spread.
Yellow Archangel (Lamium galeobdolon) is a low growing herbaceous landscaping plant used in shady flowerbeds and occasionally found in hanging baskets. Other common names include Artillery Plant, Golden Deadnettle, and Yellow Weasel-Snout. Unfortunately, in Indiana we are starting to see this plant escape from landscaping into woodlands and natural areas. Yellow Archangel is native to Eurasia with triangular leaves and bright yellow flowers that bloom in April, May, and June. The leaves are covered in fine hairs, arranged opposite around a square stem, and have serrated margins. The variegated form of this plant is especially popular. The tubular blooms of Yellow Archangel are yellow with a prominent upper petal resembling a hood and a lower lip with brown speckling.
Yellow Archangel is semi evergreen but dies back in harsh winter conditions and reemerges in early spring. It can reach up to two-feet tall and spreads through underground rhizomes creating a dense mat. It can also spread through seeds. Mechanical control of this species can be difficult due it its ability to sprout from any pieces of the stem or root left behind, but roots are not deep so pulling can be effective in a small area. Chemical control is the most effective way of controlling and eradicating Yellow Archangel. A Foliar application of 2% Triclopyr or glyphosate in the spring has shown to be the most effective method of control. Yellow Archangel has already been added to noxious weed lists in the Pacific Northwest and has potential to become widespread in our woodlands here in the Midwest.
If you find Yellow Archangel outside of a landscape setting, please report it via EddMaps either through the app or their website: www.eddmaps.org/indiana. While this species has been found in landscaping throughout much of southern Indiana, right now it has only been reported escaping in Monroe and Tippecanoe County, so keep your eyes peeled for Yellow Archangel escaping into natural areas as you get outdoors this spring and do not forget to report it!
Yellow Archangel distribution
IMPORTANT: The pesticide label is the law! When using any chemical control, always read the entire pesticide label carefully, follow all mixing and application instructions and use all personal protective gear and clothing specified. Contact the Office of Indiana State Chemist (OISC) for additional pesticide use requirements, restrictions or recommendations.
If you have been wanting to use EDDMaps but haven’t had the chance to learn, here are a couple virtual events coming up to hone your skills:
North American Invasive Species Management Association (NAISMA): 2022 EDDMapS Summit, March 23rd
National Invasive Species Awareness Week (NISAW) webinar: Let’s Use Eddmaps: Invasives Species Identification and Reporting Training, March 2nd
References and for more information on Yellow Archangel:
https://www.invasiveplantatlas.org/subject.html?sub=14085
https://www.nwcb.wa.gov/images/weeds/YellowArchangelControl_Whatcom.pdf
https://www.eddmaps.org/species/subject.cfm?sub=14085
https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/yellow-archangel
Photo credits:
Flowers and fruits: Nisa Karimi, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Bugwood.org
Escaping cultivation: Peter M. Dziuk, Minnesotawildflowers.info
Foliage: Stephanie Schuck
Distribution map Courtesy of EDDMapS. 2021. Early Detection & Distribution Mapping System. The University of Georgia -Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health. Available online at https://www.eddmaps.org/species/subject.cfm?sub=14085