[MAIPC] FW: Stilt grass question

Mon Sep 28 09:49:12 PDT 2015

Oak leaves, too. For the same reasons. I have kept much of my property free
of stilt grass by mulching with the leaves from my pin oak (topped with pine
needles so the leaves don’t blow away).

Marney

From: MAIPC [mailto:maipc-bounces at lists.maipc.org] On Behalf Of Ellis,
Michael
Sent: Monday, September 28, 2015 9:49 AM
To: Earl "Bud" Reaves Jr.; tomnjan2
Cc: INVASIVES at listserv.umd.edu; MA-IPC MA-IPC
Subject: Re: [MAIPC] FW: Stilt grass question

I agree with Bud, and I was going to say Hollies and
laurels/rhododendrons/azaleas generally prefer to grow in acidic soils.  You
should also notice less stilt grass growing in pine forests and under large
pines due to acidity of decomposing pine needles.

I'd further venture to say the rate of decomposition of the strong holly and
laurel leaves may be playing a role. The dense lignin/cellulose content of
holly leaves means it takes at least two years for the leaves to break down.
My thought is that these trees may be self mulching and stilt grass may have
a hard time establishing in areas of dense, long lasting leaf litter.

Michael Ellis
Non-Native Invasive Plant Specialist
Natural and Historical Resources Division, Park Ranger Office
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
www.pgparks.com 

240-429-5042

_____________________________
From: Earl "Bud" Reaves Jr. <ipreav00 at aacounty.org>
Sent: Monday, September 28, 2015 9:30 AM
Subject: Re: [MAIPC] FW: Stilt grass question
To: tomnjan2 <tomnjan2 at comcast.net>
Cc: MA-IPC MA-IPC <maipc at lists.maipc.org>, <INVASIVES at listserv.umd.edu>

I think it may be a soil condition, specifically a low pH from the
accumulation of leaf debris.  Stilt grass is known to prefer more basic
soils.  

On Mon, Sep 28, 2015 at 8:46 AM, tomnjan2 <tomnjan2 at comcast.net> wrote: 

There were areas that little light was clearly at play, but a blanketed
grass area with a lone Holly still didn't have grass below. Tree heights
were mixed, and many were in significant sunlight as well. This variety of
holly is more open than common garden type. 

Jan 

Sent from my iPad 

On Sep 28, 2015, at 8:03 AM, "Hughes, Jake" < jake_hughes at nps.gov> wrote: 

My guess is that light limitation is at work.  Cole and Weltzin found the
same pattern with paw paw (Asimina triloba): 

Cole, P.G. and J.F. Weltzin. 2005. Light limitation creates patchy
distribution of an invasive grass in eastern deciduous forests. Biological
Invasions 7(3): 477-488.

On Mon, Sep 28, 2015 at 6:27 AM, Marc Imlay <ialm at erols.com> wrote: 

Any response for Tom and Jan?

Marc Imlay, PhD, Chair, Biological control working Group  

Conservation biologist, Park Ranger Office, Non-native Invasive Plant
Control coordinator.
(301) 442-5657 <tel:(301)%20442-5657>  cell  ialm at erols.com
Natural and Historical Resources Division
The  Maryland-National   Capital   Park  and Planning Commission
 <http://www.pgparks.com/> www.pgparks.com  

-----Original Message-----
From: tomnjan2 [mailto:tomnjan2 at comcast.net] 
Sent: Monday, September 28, 2015 12:16 AM
To: Marc Imlay <ialm at erols.com>
Subject: Stilt grass question

Hi Marc, 

Tom (Crone) and I were walking around the back end of Greenbelt Park today.
He was checking on some multiflora rose he'd cut earlier as well stilt grass
he cut. But I noticed something I hadn't before. There were large swathes of
stilt grass that had bare patches within those areas. The common denominator
was Holly tree leaf shed. We started searching elsewhere and found the same
correlation. The stilt grass totally avoided wherever the dropped holly
leaves landed. Have you seen this before, or know if there's a specific
chemical in the leaf that inhibits or kills the grass? Or some other
symbiotic relationship creating the inhibition? I'm really curious to know.
As we were driving out of the park, I started looking at the mountain laurel
and what I saw didn't seem to be surrounded by stilt grass either.

thanks

Jan Steiner

Sent from my iPad=

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