Lives of Weeds: Opportunism, Resistance, Folly

In this expert debut, horticulture and crop science professor Cardina explores humans’ “long and ongoing relationship with weedy plants.” According to Cardina, weeds are not “plants out of place” but “outcomes of a human-directed global economy that demands constant growth and extraction at the expense of what is left of the natural world.” And by trying to subdue weeds through a “spray-and-pray” approach of fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides, Cardina writes, humans have inadvertently bolstered the plants’ resilience. Cardina profiles eight weed types—dandelion (“among the most easily recognized plants on earth” and “one of the most deeply despised”), Florida beggarweed, velvetleaf, nutsedge, marestail (a “symbol of misplaced hopes of no-till farmers”), pigweed, ragweed, and foxtail—unearthing their roles throughout history (velvetleaf fibers were used in pre–Zhou dynasty China for shoes and clothing) and explaining how they’ve evolved (nutsedge has thrived because it releases chemicals to stunt the growth of neighboring plants). Throughout, Cardina remains curious, wryly humorous, and blunt: “People remain willing to jeopardize their health and the health of their kids, pets, and neighbors because of a yellow flower that poses no risk.” Focused and fascinating, Cardina’s pull-no-punches account will leave readers rethinking whether those pesky plants are really all that bad. (Sept.)