Baby's Breath

(Gypsophila paniculata)

OTHER NAMES:Maiden's breath, tall gypsophyll

ORIGIN: Eurasia

HABITAT: Escaped ornamental to roadsides, waste places, pastures, mainly on light soils.

STEMS: Coarse, much branched, silvery and from .3 to one m tall

LEAVES: Opposite, narrow, from 2.5 to 10 cm long.

FLOWERS: Small and numerous, white or rosy in colour about 6 mm across.

SEEDS: Up to four seeds per capsule, black surface with concentric rows of bumps.

CULTURAL CONTROL PRACTICES:

Alternate cropping and summerfallow will provide a degree of control and possibly elimination. Cultivation must be thorough and deep enough (10 cm) to cut the root below the crown.

Heavy grazing with cattle especially early in the season will reduce seed production and reduce spread. Mowing will also reduce seed production, however will not control existing plants.

CHEMICAL CONTROL PRACTICES:

Apply Banvel at 11.0 L/ha in 100-200 L of water/ha when the weed is actively growing in pasture, rangeland and non-cropland.

Apply Tordon 22K (picloram) at 4.5 L/ha for control in established grasses.

Please refer to Saskatchewan Agriculture's Guide to Crop Protection for current herbicide rates and application recommendations.