However they made their way across the Atlantic Ocean to western Montana, their abundance is becoming clear, though their long-term impacts remain uncertain.

“If you look at the first few meters off the trail, basically you don’t see anything else, just weeds from Europe,” Pal said. “This would be cheat grass and that’s crested wheatgrass. It was brought here on purpose to stabilize unstable surfaces.”

At the switchback, Pal conducted another count. With little more than a glance across a five-meter area, he identified 10 European invaders, including yellow salsify, Dalmatian toadflax, stickwilly, prostrate knotweed and Jim Hill mustard.

It’s not a surprise when Pal talks about the North American plant invaders found in Europe. The giant goldenrod is to Hungary what spurge is to Montana, meaning the problem crosses continents in both directions.

Pal estimates that 25 percent of the plants on Mount Sentinel are invasive. And while it may be too late to control some invaders in Missoula, better gardening practices, more cooperation from home garden centers, and general awareness could help, he said.

“The number of European invaders we’ve identified is really amazing, as the total number of exotic weeds in Montana is only about 400 species,” Pal said. “Some of these invaders already cause serious problems, and some might only explode in the coming years.”

Reporter Martin Kidston can be reached at 523-5260, or at martin.kidston@missoulian.com.

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