Stinknet with its round, bright yellow flowers is a real problem in Sun City. Stinknet, also known as Globe Chamomile looks pretty to some people, but it is a threat to us and to the desert.

Stinknet is known as an invasive plant. Nothing in the desert threatens it or works to keep it in check. This allows stinknet to take over spaces. Walking around Sun City, I see many properties where the owners don’t seem to know how stinknet can affect us.

Stinknet has an odor that many people think is stinky. The bright yellow flowers and bright green leaves look attractive, but they hide a substance that smells and can irritate skin. Pull them out while wearing gloves, and put them in the trash.

Stinknet will take over a spot and change the soil so that little else can grow there. If there’s a fire, stinknet burns really hot, so having stinknet near your home can increase the damage from a fire.

Pulling stinknet does make a difference. I have been working with Desert Defenders in the White Tank Mountains for four years, and the places where we’ve pulled out stinknet have less and less of the invasive plant every year.

Please take the stinknet out of your yard to protect yourself and your community. More information can be found at the Southwest Vegetation Management Association website.

Joette Conger