Here in the Cross Timbers of North Central Texas, the native forb Annual Broomweed (Amphiachyris dracunculoides) increases dramatically every 3 or 4 years, especially during drought periods. (Currently, we need 25″ of precipitation to “get out of the drought”.)  Broomweed is usually found in pastures and prairies that are heavily grazed and never rested, overgrazed in any capacity, in areas suppressed of fire, and always a combination of the aforementioned factors. Because Annual Broomweed is an annual (germinates, matures, flowers, sets seed, and dies in one growing season) the extent of individual plant numbers vary from year to year. Continue reading →