1. Two good plants should be collected. The plants should have leaves, stems, roots, and either flowers or fruit.

2. Specimens should be pressed and dried between old newspapers placed on a flat surface and weighted with a large book or a large board on top. If a very succulent plant, newspaper should be changed frequently.

3. When plants are flattened and dry, one of them should be prepared for mailing. The second plant should be kept for recording purposes. Small plants can be fastened with cellophane to cardboard and put into an envelope. When sending more than one plant, the plants should be numbered. If the plants are large, it is important to include a section of the stem with several leaves attached, the lower part of the stem and the roots, and a flower or fruit. Large plants may be sent in boxes.

4. The envelope should be sealed securely or packed and closed in a box to prevent breaking or crushing the plant.

5. An alternate method of preparing plants is to send a fresh specimen. Place the plant, including a portion of the stem, leaves, roots, and flowers or fruits, in an airtight, ziplock bag. The bag should be placed in a box or padded envelope adequate to prevent crushing in the mail. Excess moisture should be blotted from the plant if it is from an aquatic environment. A dried plant should be kept as a record.

6. Weeds from agronomic, aquatics, turf, and non-cropland areas should be addressed to :

Ext. Crop Science Specialist (Weeds)
Box 7620
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC 27695-7620

Weeds found in horticulture crops--floral, fruit, and vegetative crops--and woody ornamentals should be addressed to:

Extension Horticulture Specialist
(Weed Control)
Horticulture Department
Box 7609
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC 27695-7609

7. Enclosed with the sample should be a statement explaining soil and location from which the plant was taken. If the weed was growing in a crop, this needs to be noted along with other crops and desirable plants in the neighborhood.

8. It will take approximately 10 days to 2 weeks to receive a reply. When this reply returns, the retained plant specimens should be checked carefully so the name can be associated with this particular plant.

A complete plant or a specimen containing leaves, stem, roots, and flowers or fruit is absolutely necessary for a definite identification. Specimens must be prepared properly and packed well. It is impossible to identify a plant when only a leaf or stem is sent. Specimens that are crushed from poor packing or specimens that are spotted from being tightly packed while green are especially hard to identify.

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