Ellen Wallace
The green thumbs of Switzerland, pros and amateurs, gather in Oeschberg, near Zurich, for OEGA, an annual show with 480 exhibitors, 25-27 June. Two popular events promise to be the one on new plants coming to the garden market and another on invaders. The Swiss federal government Tuesday issued an alert to farmers and gardeners alike about "souchet," a fast-spreading weed that has invaded Switzerland this year from the Mediterranean. The main threat from it is that it has very high sunlight requirements and will threaten the energy resources of crops. Chemical treatments are relatively ineffective, and the weed should be pulled by hand as soon as possible, to reduce is ability to spread.
It’s from the same family as a plant known as chufa in Spanish, whose roots are edible and used in Spanish dishes. I haven’t yet found a good photo of it, but will post one here when I do!
GenevaLunch, 24 June 2008.
Filed under: Garden
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