Common milkweed is a creeping perennial weed that is problematic in row crops and pastures. Its ability to readily reproduce via adventitious root buds enables it to persist, and full control often requires several growing seasons of management. Although it is a troublesome agricultural weed, common milkweed is ecologically important due to its use as a food source for many arthropod species. Declines in common milkweed populations in North America have been correlated with and blamed for declines in monarch butterfly populations. This review summarizes available information on the biology, ecology, and management of common milkweed, as well as its potential uses and provisioning of ecosystem services.

Field horsetail (Equisetum arvense L.) is a perennial weed native to many areas of the northern hemisphere. Like other horsetail species, field horsetail is a spore-bearing plant from an ancient clade. Unlike some other horsetails, field horsetail is a problematic agricultural weed. It is especially difficult to control in low-tillage cropping systems. Neither chemical nor mechanical tactics are likely to achieve full control in a single operation. However, these tactics may be successfully combined in an integrated weed management program. This review summarizes available information about the biology, ecology, and management of field horsetail. We also note its potential value as a source of pharmaceutical compounds.