A Thorn in the Eye
It was slack season in the rural areas along the Yangtze River when an urgent notice pulled many villagers out of their leisure time and into action: Keep all eyes out for Canadian yellow flowers and kill them on site.
The species has received its Chinese name for the clusters of yellow flowers it produces in the fall. The rhizomatous plant, originating in North America and bearing the English name of Canadian goldenrod, is an invasive species in China. It can cause deep damage to the local ecological environment. However, both its innocuous name and the flowery top have lowered people’s vigilance.
