This yellow plant covers a dirt lot next to a local elementary school near Alamo and Lee Streets, a distinct smell filling the air. It’s called Stinknet and it starts blooming in February and continues through May.
It’s invasive in the Sonoran Desert, negatively affecting plants by using up water and nutrients much-needed by endemic species like Saguaros. It also impacts humans, causing respiratory illnesses and contact dermatitis.
“The way to prevent it is sort of early detection and rapid response,” Ben Tully, an invasive species outreach education at University of Arizona’s Cooperative Extension. “And so when you spot it, just immediately try to get it before it gets out of control. Here in Tucson, we have something called Stinknet.org for people to go and report it if they see it around town.”