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Invasives Watch

    Garlic mustard
    Photo: Cathy Caldwell

    Now is the time to remove garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) –– it’s easy to pull up, and it hasn’t had a chance to set seed. Read more about this invasive and how to eliminate it in this month’s Tasks & Tips article,  The Ornamental Garden in March.

    Other invasives to hand=pull this month:

    Asiatic bittersweet in March. Photo: Richard Gardner, Bugwood.org

    Asiatic or Oriental Bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus):  Hand pull small vines in spring when the soil is moist. Be sure to remove the crown and all large roots or vigorous new growth will occur. Low bushy vines or resprouted vines can be killed with a foliar herbicide spray after leaves appear in spring through fall. Be mindful of native plants growing in the area. It is best not to spray large vines.

    Britt Slattery, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Bugwood.org
    Mile-a-minute vine, Asiatic tearthumb (Persicaria perfoliata). Photo: Britt Slattery, US Fish & Wildlife Service, Bugwood.org

    Mile-a-Minute (Persicaria perfoliata) is an annual vine and prolific seeder that can grow 6” a day and reach heights of 25’ in a single season. Tiny, recurved, needle-sharp barbs arm its leaves and stems. Mile-a-minute can be manually pulled before it sets seed but wear gloves to protect against the barbs. Foliar sprays are effective but also kill whatever is underneath the vine. A preemergent herbicide is called for in large areas of infestation. The herbicide should be applied to the soil in early to mid-March before seeds germinate in June. Do not use preemergent herbicides near wetlands, streams, etc. because it harms aquatic life.

     

    To learn lots more about controlling invasive plants, check out the Blue Ridge PRISM’s Invasive Plant Workshop and their Quarterly Meeting (coming up in April):

    Invasive Plant Workshop hosted by Blue Ridge PRISM

    Sunday, March 30 @ 11:00 am – 1:00 pm

    Build your fundamental knowledge of invasive plants! Join the Blue Ridge Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM) for a hands-on learning experience where you’ll discover how to identify and manage invasive plant species in your area.

    This workshop will take place on Sunday, Mar 30, 2025 at 11:00 am at Mountain Light Retreat in Crozet, Virginia. You’ll learn practical skills that you can apply in your own backyard.

    ⇒Register Here

     

    Blue Ridge PRISM Spring Quarterly Meeting: Zoom

    Wednesday, April 16, 2025 @ 11:30 am – 1:00 pm
    ⇒Find out more and Register Here

    This is a free online event and includes a question & answer period with the audience. Those who register will receive access to the recording.

    Guest Speaker Maddie Bright will discuss restoration after invasive removal, addressing questions such as:

    • What do I do with the land area after invasive plant removal?
    • Should I leave it alone and see what comes up?
    • Should I plant specific natives right away?
    • What kind of native plants should I choose?
    • How do I start the process?

    Maddie Bright is the Executive Director for Earth Sangha, a wild plant nursery which leads efforts to propagate native plants directly from local forests and meadows, and also operates a volunteer-based program to propagate local native plants, restore native plant communities, and control invasive plants. Maddie has worked closely with ecologists, botanists, and park managers across the Northern Virginia region on plant conservation and ecological restoration projects and serves on the steering committee for the National Capitol Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management.

    Featured Photo:  Asiatic bittersweet climbs a tree.  Photo: Cathy Caldwell

    SOURCES:

    “Invasive Plant Control Calendar,”  The Garden Shed (May 2022)

    Blue Ridge PRISM (Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management)