There are good roses and bad roses and multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora) is the worst!! Often noxious and invasive plants are determined as such from state to state but this one is a federally listed invasive! Its introduction is what I term “not well researched” and like most of our invasive plants began as nursery stock because of their hardy growth and low maintenance. Not only did individuals begin planting these to landscape their homes, farmers were encouraged to use it as “living fences” for their cattle, and transportation departments used it for erosion control. [Read more…] about A Rose is a Rose
Invasives
Reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea)
This cool-season grass is the curse of restorationist!! Its growth is aggressive, it is difficult to eradicate, and it destroys plant diversity by creating a monoculture. Preliminary research shows that there are negative effects on wildlife as well.
The adage, “Know thy Enemy,” is very true in restoration work. [Read more…] about Reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea)
Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata)
The bane of woodlands!!! This nasty little invasive has the ability to takeover a woodland area with a “take no prisoners” approach. When we purchased our land in 2005, which included 3 acres of woods, there was a near monoculture of garlic mustard. We began in earnest to rid our woods of this even though “eradicate” and “garlic mustard” are never used in the same sentence. [Read more…] about Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata)
