Weed Of The Week - Wild Caraway (Carum carvi)
Noxious Under Local Municipal Bylaw
Submitted By Kelly Cooley, CoolPro Solutions
Photo Credits - Alberta Invasive Species Council
Caraway, also known as Wild Carway, is a biennial herb from the Parsley (Apiaceae) Family imported from Eurasia that is intentionally cultivated in Alberta as a specialty crop for its fruits (often called seeds), which have been used in food preparation for centuries for their pungent, anise-like flavour and aroma. This species has escaped cultivation and has unfortunately thrived in Alberta's hayfields, pastures, roadsides, and other disturbed areas. It is spread by birds and also is moving in contaminated hay. First year plants (rosettes) are inconspicuous rosettes and do not flower, but rather establish a long, narrow, parsnip-like taproot. Second year plants regrow from the overwintered taproot and send up stalks up to 3 feet (90cm) tall. Finely divided leaves are alternately arranged on multiple stems in the second year. Groups of white-flowered umbel-shaped parsley-like fruiting heads appear at the stem tops in late May to early June. Best results to control Wild Caraway will be in herbicide treatment of the first year rosettes; if treating second year plants, do so well prior to flowering. Hand pulling and bagging flowering second year plants is effective on small second year plants - make sure to get as much of the root as possible.
More information can be found in the Wild Caraway fact sheet from the Alberta Invasive Species Council, and you can report this invader yourself using their free EDDMapS application on your mobile device. For local control options for Wild Caraway please contact our Agricultural Fieldman at 403-339-8741.
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