Baby’s Breath

Native:

Pearly Everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea) can grow up to 1 m tall and has clusters of white flowers with yellow centers. It blooms from mid-summer to early fall. The leaves are long and narrow, and give off a grey-hue due to the fine hairs that cover the leaves and stems.

 

 

 

 

 

Hewitt’s Double Meadow Rue (Thalictrum delayayi ‘Hewitt’s Double’) is a herbaceous perennial that grows cloud-like sprays of lavender pink flowers that bloom in late spring. It grows up to 1.5 m tall in moist soil and semi-shade.

Baby’s Breath comes from Eurasia and was brought to North America as a garden ornamental. It is now often used in bouquets as an ornamental filler.

Baby’s Breath can survive in a multitude of environments with variations in both temperature and moisture levels. It is most aggressive in areas of low rainfall, as it thrives in dry, sandy, stony sites and its drought tolerant. It can commonly be found in lightly-grazed pastures, roadside ditches, hay fields and abandoned fields.

Baby’s Breath is NOT currently found throughout the Sea to Sky Corridor, so the best approach to controlling its spread is by PREVENTION.

 

Learn to identify Baby’s Breath: use the images presented in this profile page to learn how to identify Baby’s Breath

What to do if you spot it: You can report any Baby’s Breath sighting by clicking here.

 

DO:

• Regularly monitor properties for weed infestations.
• Ensure soil and gravel are uncontaminated before transport.
• Check wildflower mixes to ensure that they do not contain Baby’s Breath.
• Ensure that plants are disposed of in a garbage bag if found in floral arrangements to prevent seeds from spreading.

DO NOT:

• Unload, park or store equipment or vehicles in infested areas; remove plant material from any equipment, vehicles or clothing used in such areas and wash equipment and vehicles at designated cleaning sites before leaving infested areas.
• Plant Baby’s Breath in a garden, no matter how well-contained its enclosure may seem.
• Move soil that has been contaminated with Baby’s Breath.

 

Control

Mechanical Control

• Baby’s Breath can tolerate shallow tilling, however extensive cultivation can effectively control an infestation.
• Plants will re-sprout if not severed below the root crown, so hand-pulling is only effective if the root crown is severed several cm’s below ground level.
• Mowing can prevent seed production but is not an effective control method.

Chemical Control

• Several herbicides have been tested on Baby’s Breath infestations, but none have had success unless used at high rates. Spot treatments of glyphosate have proven to provide some control and should prevent seed production after several treatments.
• We recommend that any herbicide application is carried out by a person holding a valid BC Pesticide Applicator Certificate. Before selecting and applying herbicides, you must review and follow herbicide labels and application rates; municipal, regional, provincial and federal laws and regulations; species-specific treatment recommendations, and site-specific goals and objectives.

Cultural Control

• Alternate cropping and summer fallow provide control by reducing soil disturbance and allowing re-introduction of native plants.

Biological Control

• There is no biocontrol available for Baby’s Breath at this time.