The Fall can be a great time to get outside and work on eradicating
non-native invasive plants. Several
woody invasive plants are particularly vulnerable at this time of year, and
into the winter months as well. Some of
these species include the shrubs, Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii), autumn olive (Eleagnus umbellate), and burning bush (Euonymous alatus). Non-native
invasive trees that can be treated this time of year include tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima), mimosa (Albizia julibrissin), Amur cork tree (Phellodendron amurense), and callery
(Bradford) pear (Pyrus calleryana), as
well as the non-native invasive woody vines like Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), Oriental bittersweet
(Celastrus orbiculatus), and winter
creeper (Euonymus fortunei).
Cut-stump and basal bark applications can be used to target
non-native invasive woody species year-round.
Another option this time of year can be a foliar application to the
leaves of woody invasive plants. Many
desirable native species go dormant before the non-native invasive species,
especially the semi-evergreen Japanese honeysuckle and winter creeper. Executing a foliar application at this time
of year can avoid non-target impacts. Remember
that cutting without using an herbicide will likely lead to the woody plant re-sprouting,
often with greater vigor, next growing season.
In addition, care should be taken with two of the aforementioned
species. Tree-of-heaven and Oriental bittersweet have a defensive mechanism
that is not to be taken lightly. Once
cut, or injured, the plants of those two species will send up sprouts from
nodes on their roots that will make an infestation worse, so the preferred
treatment method for those species is a basal bark application.
For more information about invasive species in your region, and
identification and treatment options, please visit our website at www.rtrcwma.org or send me, Kevin Rohling, an
email at rtrcwma@gmail.com
This message was brought to you by the River to River
Cooperative Weed Management Area with support from our partners at the United
States Forest Service Northeastern Area State & Private Forestry.
