The Weeds of Colony Farm

<p><i>Lamium galeobdolon</i>, Lamiaceae<br />
Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada<br />
Nikon D5100, 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6<br />
April 14, 2013</p>

Yellow Archangel

Lamium galeobdolon, Lamiaceae
Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6
April 14, 2013

<p><i>Lunaria annua</i>, Brassicaceae<br />
Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada<br />
Nikon D5100, 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6<br />
April 14, 2013</p>

Honesty

Lunaria annua, Brassicaceae
Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6
April 14, 2013

<p><i>Silene dioica</i>, Caryophyllaceae<br />
Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada<br />
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8<br />
June 22, 2013</p>

Red Campion

Silene dioica, Caryophyllaceae
Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8
June 22, 2013

<p><i>Lathyrus latifolius</i>, Fabaceae<br />
Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada<br />
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8<br />
June 22, 2013</p>

Perennial Sweetpea

Lathyrus latifolius, Fabaceae
Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8
June 22, 2013

<p><i>Lysimachia punctata</i>, Primulaceae<br />
Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada<br />
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8<br />
June 22, 2013</p>

Spotted Loosestrife

Lysimachia punctata, Primulaceae
Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8
June 22, 2013

<p><i>Convolvulus sepium</i>, Convolvulaceae<br />
Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada<br />
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8<br />
June 22, 2013</p>

Hedge Bindweed

Convolvulus sepium, Convolvulaceae
Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8
June 22, 2013

<p><i>Hypericum maculatum</i>, Hypericaceae<br />
Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada<br />
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8<br />
June 22, 2013</p>

Spotted St John's-wort

Hypericum maculatum, Hypericaceae
Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8
June 22, 2013

<p><i>Trifolium repens</i>, Fabaceae<br />
Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada<br />
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8<br />
June 22, 2013</p>

White Clover

Trifolium repens, Fabaceae
Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8
June 22, 2013

<p><i>Hieracium lachenalii</i>, Asteraceae<br />
Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada<br />
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8<br />
June 22, 2013</p>

Common Hawkweed

Hieracium lachenalii, Asteraceae
Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8
June 22, 2013

<p><i>Trifolium pratense</i>, Fabaceae<br />
Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada<br />
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8<br />
June 22, 2013</p>

Red Clover

Trifolium pratense, Fabaceae
Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8
June 22, 2013

<p><i>Medicago lupulina</i>, Fabaceae<br />
Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada<br />
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8<br />
June 22, 2013</p>

Black Medic

Medicago lupulina, Fabaceae
Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8
June 22, 2013

<p><i>Hesperis matronalis</i>, Brassicaceae<br />
Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada<br />
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6<br />
June 22, 2013</p>

Dame’s Rocket

Hesperis matronalis, Brassicaceae
Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6
June 22, 2013

<p><i>Ranunculus repens</i>, Ranunculaceae<br />
Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada<br />
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6<br />
June 22, 2013</p>

Creeping Buttercup

Ranunculus repens, Ranunculaceae
Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6
June 22, 2013

<p><i>Taraxacum officinale</i>, Asteraceae<br />
Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada<br />
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6<br />
June 22, 2013</p>

Common Dandelion

Taraxacum officinale, Asteraceae
Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6
June 22, 2013

<p><i>Rubus armeniacus</i>, Rosaceae<br />
Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada<br />
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6<br />
June 22, 2013</p>

Himalayan Blackberry

Rubus armeniacus, Rosaceae
Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6
June 22, 2013

<p><i>Matricaria discoidea</i>, Asteraceae<br />
Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada<br />
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6<br />
June 22, 2013</p>

Pineappleweed

Matricaria discoidea, Asteraceae
Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6
June 22, 2013

In my recent trips to Colony Farm I’ve been surprised by the number and diversity of weedy introduced species growing there. With the exception of some shrubs it is actually difficult to find any native plants (you can find a full plant list here). I guess this is not surprising as this park began as an old farm. While none of these weeds are listed as noxious one has to wonder about their effect on successional processes within the park. While the signage in the park makes reference to nature reclaiming the old farmland it seems unlikely that the vegetation within the park will ever return to its pre-disturbance state. This lack of native vegetation seems to have no apparent effect on bird diversity but relatively few species of butterflies, who require specific larval food plants, have been reported from Colony Farm. I certainly hope we see more native vegetation taking hold here as most of the natural habitats and especially the riparian forests in the Georgian Depression Ecoprovince have been converted to agriculture.

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