[MAIPC] Invasive plants and climate change

Sun Feb 3 07:20:51 PST 2019

Marc,
Sounds like all of these should be banned in each of our states.  We have a long way to go here in Virginia, but we are chipping away at the problem.  For example, Hydrilla is now working its way through our process to become an official noxious weed.  But it seems to me there are probably good opportunities for collaboration and sharing of information.  For each plant we nominate to be a noxious weed, there is a significant amount of work to be done to compile and present the available research to show that it is a problem and worthy of being added to the noxious weeds list.  I wouldn’t be surprised if much of that work has been done by others either in nearby states or at the Federal level.  Sharing that work might save some of us a lot of effort.
An even better answer would be if the Feds would ban these plants either nationwide or in plant-specific designated regions.  Is there any prospect of anything like that happening?
Cheers,
Rod

Rod Walker
Blue Ridge PRISM – A Cooperative Weed Management Area for Virginia
3200 Middle Mountain Road
Crozet, Virginia 22932
Blueridgeprism.org
434 823-2742

From: Marc Imlay [mailto:ialm at erols.com] 
Sent: Saturday, February 02, 2019 8:25 AM
To: maipc at lists.maipc.org; 'Reardon, Richard C -FS'; rodswalker at gmail.com; INVASIVES at LISTSERV.UMD.EDU
Subject: FW: [MAIPC] Invasive plants and climate change

Phragmites, Miscanthus, Hydrilla verticillate, black fountain grass (Cenchrus purpurascens aka Pennisetum alopecuroides), purple fountain grass (Cenchrus setaceus aka Pennisetum setaceum), Boston ivy, and Nandina and other new invasives due to climate change deserve biological control updates. 

Dick and Rod, any advice would be welcome.

Marc Imlay, PhD 
Conservation biologist, Park Ranger Office, Non-native Invasive Plant Control coordinator. 
(301) 442-5657 cell   <mailto:ialm at erols.com> ialm at erols.com
Natural and Historical Resources Division
The Maryland-National Capital   Park  and Planning Commission

On Jan 31, 2019, at 3:42 PM, Ossi, Damien (DOEE) <damien.ossi at dc.gov> wrote:

Thanks, everyone.  I had not thought of Miscanthus or fountaingrass.  And I agree that it’s difficult to tease out the differing impacts that climate and planting/seed pressure have on invasives that are showing up in natural areas.  I can’t even begin to think of how to set up a study that could tease those out. 

Damien

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Subject: Re: [MAIPC] Invasive plants and climate change

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to add to the complication - how to differentiate climate-related factors from simple proliferation of human-planted source sites? If fashion promotes planting of a species either in new home developments or in greater quantities than before, propagule pressure will increase. The planting decisions might be guided to some extent by climatic factors, but they might simply reflect fads and marketing.

Faith

In a message dated 1/31/2019 1:58:29 PM Eastern Standard Time,  <mailto:kirsten2622 at comcast.net> kirsten2622 at comcast.net writes:

Miscanthus is a huge problem in the rare serpentine area of Lake Roland in Baltimore County. It has spread into the park and all up and down Falls Road from one business that planted it out front. 

Kirsten Johnson

On Jan 31, 2019, at 1:54 PM, Servis, Robert < <mailto:Robert.Servis at montgomeryparks.org> Robert.Servis at montgomeryparks.org> wrote:

I agree, Miscanthus has really taken off in the Mid-Atlantic area in the last few years I feel.  I’m seeing it more and more in “natural areas”(where it has obviously escaped the landscape beds), at least here in Montgomery Co., Md.

Another one that comes to mind is Black Fountain Grass (and/or other species of commonly landscaped “fountain grasses”).  I have started seeing this MUCH more in natural areas just in the past 3-5yrs than I had ever noticed before.   It is spreading even into maintained lawn grasses.  (I have a small patch In the corner of my yard that has come around the corner of my fence from the neighbors landscaped flowerbed ☹…trying to now come up with a good control for it without killing the rest of my lawn grass, or having to dig it all up by hand and have holes in the yard.

*not sure if the spread of these is somewhat due to warming climates or what the true factors involved here are, but It seems that warming climates would only help the spread of these species if anything.
I know the seeds are transported sometimes by vehicle tires, lawn mowers, in-proper disposal of yard/landscape clippings, etc.., in addition to being wind dispersed. I am seeing it a lot on open, abundantly sunny wood edges, mowed paths, and even now into the shady understory of mature forested areas.

Hopefully this is helpful, but I’ll try to keep thinking of others.

From: MAIPC < <mailto:maipc-bounces at lists.maipc.org> maipc-bounces at lists.maipc.org> On Behalf Of Mark Frey
Sent: Thursday, January 31, 2019 1:34 PM
To: MAIPC Listserve < <mailto:maipc at lists.maipc.org> maipc at lists.maipc.org>
Subject: Re: [MAIPC] Invasive plants and climate change

I agree about Boston ivy but the species that seem(s) to really exemplify the potential is Miscanthus spp. A huge problem in the south and becoming more so here.

On Thu, Jan 31, 2019 at 11:11 AM MARGARET L CHATHAM < <mailto:margaret.chatham at verizon.net> margaret.chatham at verizon.net> wrote:
I agree that oriental bittersweet is a growing problem, but not that it’s an example of an exotic pest moving south-to-north. My first introduction to the idea of invasive exotic plants was fighting oriental bittersweet in Connecticut, 1978-81. At the time, I didn’t know of anyone else fighting the problem, but I called it a “take-over-the-world” plant & honed my recognition of it in its earliest, most easily pullable stages.

Margaret Chatham

On Jan 31, 2019, at 10:53 AM, Marc Imlay < <mailto:ialm at erols.com> ialm at erols.com> wrote:

In Maryland Oriental Bittersweet has become about 10 times more difficult to control in the last decade bas discussed at a MISAC meeting by many folks in the meeting.

From: MAIPC < <mailto:maipc-bounces at lists.maipc.org> maipc-bounces at lists.maipc.org> On Behalf Of Melissa Bravo
Sent: Thursday, January 31, 2019 10:48 AM
To: MAIPC Listserve ( <mailto:maipc at lists.maipc.org> maipc at lists.maipc.org) < <mailto:maipc at lists.maipc.org> maipc at lists.maipc.org>; Ossi, Damien (DOEE) < <mailto:damien.ossi at dc.gov> damien.ossi at dc.gov>
Subject: Re: [MAIPC] Invasive plants and climate change

The Invasive Plants guide sold by StackPole is sorted climatically and I have found it a good indicator of what can transition with a few degrees of minimum maximum temperatures. But it will take longer for them to acclimate their reproductive day length cycles to be fertile  seed distributors.

Melissa A. Bravo, M.S. CCA, Agronomist
Meadow Lake Farm Consulting Services 814-574-4067 /  <mailto:bravomelissa at yahoo.com> bravomelissa at yahoo.com

From: MAIPC <maipc-bounces at lists.maipc.org> On Behalf Of Ivmpartners2
Sent: Friday, February 01, 2019 10:28 PM
To: Liz Nalle <liznalle5 at gmail.com>
Cc: maipc at lists.maipc.org
Subject: Re: [MAIPC] Invasive plants and climate change

Phragmites spreads primarily from disturbance, as roadside mowing promotes new rooting from every leaf node. It is best controlled with an herbicide treatment of a combination of glyphosate and imazapyr, followed by fire during the winter to remove the thatch layer. Then a touch up herbicide treatment the following year. 
Rick Johnstone 

On Feb 1, 2019, at 1:43 PM, Liz Nalle <liznalle5 at gmail.com> wrote:
Miscanthus and Pennisetum are both problems in coastal Delaware but I would add that they spread primarily from being planted, then the seeds are wind blown. Regarding Phrag, some areas here have given up on eradication, and are now concentrating on managing it, if that’s even possible. We are very prone to flooding, though, so with sea level rise which we are living, it will be interesting to see it move as it doesn’t tolerate standing water. 

Excellent point about Baccharis spreading due to road salt! I see it in many more places recently. 

Liz

On Fri, Feb 1, 2019 at 1:14 PM Judy Fulton <jfulton5 at gmail.com> wrote:
When people mention groundsel tree, I'm assuming that they are referring to Baccharis halimifolia. This species is a native to the Coastal Plain ecoregions throughout the mid-Atlantic, but it is becoming adventive in the Piedmont and various mountain ecoregions. I agree with Margaret Chatham that a likely reason for this movement is salt tolerance -- I see the plant fairly frequently in the difficult strip next to highways that have been treated with salt. So, I'm not sure that Baccharis halimifolia is going to become a problem.

Judy
____________________________________________

Judith P. Fulton
EcoPlant Consulting: Native and Invasive Plants
Master Gardener, University of Maryland Extension
Chair, Maryland Invasive Species Council Subcommittee on Invasives Lists
Board, Mid-Atlantic Invasive Plant Council
410-337-3701
jfulton5 at gmail.com
On 2/1/2019 12:07 PM, MARGARET L CHATHAM wrote:
I’d suggest another factor at work in the spread of groundsel tree (and Typha angustifolia): road salt. As the roadways become saltier, they offer better habitat for salt-tolerant plants. (And Ii see Miscanthus spread as primarily driven by planted seed sources — strictly anecdotal comment.) 

Margaret

On Feb 1, 2019, at 11:42 AM, Stephen Hiltner <stevehiltner at gmail.com> wrote:

I'll chime in with a few observations. The first invasive example of Miscanthus I saw many years back was in a field outside of Newport, Rhode Island during my one and only visit there. In NC at turn of the century it was only invasive on Mount Mitchell and some horticulturist of great stature, perhaps the one who wrote "the book" on shrubs/trees, said in a discussion at NC Bot Gardens that only one variety of Miscanthus was invasive. In recent years I've seen examples of invasion in NJ and PA along freeways. 

Groundsel tree is one to look out for, as it spread from the NC coast up freeways into the piedmont and has become a serious invasive in the Durham, NC area, invading grasslands and lining freeway right of ways. Seen a few incidents in central NJ but not much yet.

Go to Princeton battlefield, and it's hard to imagine porcelainberry getting any worse--topiary on a massive scale.

Steve
PrincetonNatureNotes.org <http://princetonnaturenotes.org/> 

On Fri, Feb 1, 2019 at 10:55 AM Liz Nalle <liznalle5 at gmail.com> wrote:
Here in southern, coastal Delaware, Phragmites australis and Hydrilla verticillata are big problems. I’m not sure how much climate change has facilitated their spread, but they are from father south in Asia I believe. 

Liz Nalle
Inland Bays Garden Center
Frankford DE

On Jan 31, 2019, at 9:36 PM, Jil Swearingen <jilswearingen at gmail.com> wrote:

All,

EDDMapS might be enlisted here to help. If one can do a query over time (e.g., 20-30 years) of invasive plant species occurring in the Southeast states that eventually start being reported in the mid-Atlantic in recent years, that would produce a list to start working with. Chuck Bargeron would be the obvious go-to person to run this query. I don't know how to do it with the tools available for users.

Thanks,

Jil

.......................
Jil Swearingen
Invasive Species Consultant
In the Weeds
410-200-7085

On Thu, Jan 31, 2019 at 9:22 PM James Remuzzi <james at sustainablesolutionsllc.net> wrote:
I would second the USDA work on CO2 re vines would add Mile a Minute to those species previously mentioned —vines: both invasive and native, have exploded in last 20 years and are having a devastating impact on Native Forests and Shrublands.  

JRR 

James R. Remuzzi
Sustainable Solutions, LLC
www.sustainablesolutionsllc.net <http://www.sustainablesolutionsllc.net/> 

On Jan 31, 2019, at 4:27 PM, frazmo <frazmo at gmail.com> wrote:
Lewis Ziska with USDA has done interesting work about the worrying effects of rising CO2 levels on invasive vines (plus native Poison ivy). My sense is that Kudzu is gradually becoming worse in the northern mid-Atlantic as things warm. Colder temps used to hold back Hedera helix in our north but that obviously is changing. I'm sure there is a long list of southern invasives marching toward us now... Cheers,   Steve Young, Arlington VA

On Thu, Jan 31, 2019 at 10:10 AM Ossi, Damien (DOEE) <damien.ossi at dc.gov> wrote:
Question:  What, if any, invasive plant species appear to be spreading into the mid-Atlantic due to climate change?  I know there’s been talk of southern magnolia and other species that are native to just south of here starting to naturalize in our area, but I’m more interested exotic invasives.  

What invasive plants are common in southern Virginia or northern North Carolina that we just don’t have in our area, but could move here with warmer climates?

Thanks,
Damien

Damien P. Ossi
Wildlife Biologist
Fisheries and Wildlife Division
Department of Energy & Environment
Government of the District of Columbia
1200 First Street NE, 5th Floor
Washington, DC 20002
Desk: (202) 741-0840
Web: doee.dc.gov <http://www.doee.dc.gov/> 

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