What not to plant but remove instead!

Invasive Alien Plant Species of Virginia by the Department of Conservation & Recreation (VDCR)

Highly Invasive Species

· Ailanthus altissima Tree-of-heaven

· Alliaria petiolata Garlic mustard

· Alternanthera philoxeroides Alligator weed

· Ampelopsis brevipedunculata Porcelain-berry

· Carex kobomugi Asiatic sand sedge

· Celastrus orbiculata Oriental bittersweet

· Centaurea dubia Short-fringed knapweed

· Centaurea biebersteinii Spotted knapweed

· Cirsium arvense Canada thistle

· Dioscorea oppositifolia Chinese yam

· Elaeagnus umbellata Autumn olive

· Euonymus alata Winged burning bush

· Hydrilla verticillata Hydrilla

· Imperata cylindrica Cogon grass

· Lespedeza cuneata Chinese lespedeza

· Ligustrum sinense Chinese privet

· Lonicera japonica Japanese honeysuckle

· Lonicera morrowii Morrow's honeysuckle

· Lonicera standishii Standish's honeysuckle

· Lythrum salicaria Purple loosestrife

· Microstegium vimineum Japanese stilt grass

· Murdannia keisak Aneilema

· Myriophyllum aquaticum Parrot feather

· Myriophyllum spicatum European water-milfoil

· Phragmites australis Common reed

· Polygonum cuspidatum Japanese knotweed

· Polygonum perfoliatum Mile-a-minute

· Pueraria montana Kudzu vine

· Ranunculus ficaria Lesser celandine

· Rosa multiflora Multiflora rose

· Rubus phoenicolasius Wineberry

· Sorghum halepense Johnson-grass

· Vitex rotundifolia Beach vitex

Source: http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural_heritage/invsppdflist.shtml

 

We had a ton of Mile-a-minute, Multiflora Rose, Oriental Bittersweet and, I think, Purple Loosestrife. These invasive species took over the woodland area behind us and killed a number of young trees and suffocated the plants growing on the forest floor. Once it was removed, native species plants started appearing; black gum, jack in the pulpit, and I believe bluebell as well as some others. Some poison ivy nearly 3 inches in diameter was removed from a tree. The tree started producing new branches and leafed out the following spring. What a difference. Too bad we don't have a way to manage our community wetlands.

 

You do - It is called "don't get caught"

 

It's wetland habitat restoration and reforestation. It was managed by an arborist and had Wes' blessing. What's disconcerting to me was seeing one of the 'landscapers' yesterday randomly hack away at a beautiful Mulberry tree near a mutt mitt station, oh, all the while smoking a cigarette which he then pitched into the storm drain full of leaves. Nice.

 

So much goes into planting and maintaining overall - and if we focused on planting and keeping the native plants sustainable it will actually be purposeful effort that's for everyone's benefit. It has been a struggle but we'll continue doing what we can - that's all we can do