[MAIPC] Fwd: WEED ALERT | Japanese Stiltgrass

Tue Jul 13 20:08:40 PDT 2021

Please see email below.
Thanks,
Jil

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From: Blue Ridge PRISM <info at blueridgeprism.org>
Date: Fri, Jul 9, 2021 at 5:42 PM
Subject: WEED ALERT | Japanese Stiltgrass
To: Jil Swearingen <jilswearingen at gmail.com>

Identify and control Japanese stiltgrass now!
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- WEED ALERT -
ACT NOW ON JAPANESE STILTGRASS
Image: Japanese stiltgrass.  Photo credit: Chuck Bargeron, University of
Georgia
Now is the time to begin controlling *Japanese stiltgrass, Microstegium
vimineum, *in the weeks just before it flowers and sets seed. A native of
Asia, Japanese stiltgrass was once used as packing material for
transporting porcelain-- this is probably how it was introduced to North
America. The earliest report of Japanese stiltgrass in the United States
was in Knoxville, Tennessee in 1919. Currently, abundant amounts of
Japanese stiltgrass can be found in most of the eastern United States. In
Virginia, it is present in every county
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.

A single Japanese stiltgrass plant can produce up to 1,000 seeds that can
remain viable in the soil for at least three years. The seeds are then
spread by animals, rain runoff, soil, and even human foot traffic. Taking
action now will help minimize seed production and prevent stiltgrass from
achieving a wider footprint.

JAPANESE STILTGRASS THREATENS
NATIVE PLANTS AND FORESTS
Japanese stiltgrass can spread quickly into a dense mat invading disturbed
areas like floodplain forests and openings in the forest canopy. It moves
readily along trails and roads. White-tailed deer especially avoid this
plant increasing the browsing pressure on native plants. This leaves the
stiltgrass to invade the ensuing open spaces, thereby posing a potential
threat to the future of our forests. Japanase stiltgrass also increases the
threat of intense forest fires due to the thick mats of dried leaves and
stems present in the fall.

Moreover, because infestations of Japanese stiltgrass change the habitat of
the forest floor, it becomes less hospitable for some ground-nesting
bird species and even the American toad. Left alone, Japanese stiltgrass
can overtake native plant life and vegetation in just three to five years.

Learn more:
*Deer prefer native plants leaving lasting damage on forests*
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*More wolf spiders feasting on American toads due to invasive grass*
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Image: A forest invaded by Japanese stiltgrass.  Photo credit: USDA Forest
Service
APPEARANCE

Japanese stiltgrass is a warm season, annual grass with shallow roots. It
is found across a variety of light and moisture conditions. Plant height
varies from 6 inches to 4 feet tall depending upon the growing conditions
and grows tallest in moist and sunny environments. Taller plants will
typically lie flat along the ground or propped up against other vegetation.
Stiltgrass has pale green, lance-shaped leaves that are between one to
three inches long. The leaves alternate along an often droopy stem. Look
for a silvery main vein running just off center of each leaf.
Image:  Japanese stiltgrass leaves feature an off center silverly main
vein.  Photo credit:  West Virginia Extension Service
CONTROL

*Hand-pull:*  Small patches in garden beds or elsewhere can be easily
hand-pulled because of Japanese stiltgrass' shallow root system. Pulling
when the soil is moist will speed the process.

*Mow:  *For larger areas of stiltgrass, use a mower set very low and cut as
close to the ground as possible, so no green is left on the plant. This
decreases the chance of it resprouting. If using a string-trimmer, hold the
trimmer at a slight downward angle so the string digs about a quarter-inch
into the ground to sever roots from stems. Leave clippings from mowed or
cut stiltgrass in place to die if seeds have not formed. *Timing is key
here. Mow when the plants are just about to flower, August - September. *

*Foliar Spray:*  Apply a recommended herbicide before stiltgrass flowers
and sets seed, July - early September. Grass selective herbicides are most
effective. See Virginia Department of Forestry Guidelines
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or A Management Guide for Invasive Plants in Southern Forests
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for specific herbicide recommendations.

*Notes:*

Be aware that although you have eliminated this year’s seed production
there is still seed in the soil that can germinate. As a result, you will
need to employ monitoring and management techniques for a number of
years. It is worth it!

Always follow all herbicide label directions and wear personal protective
equipment (PPE) per label instructions.

Take care to avoid herbicide contact with desirable plants.

Download our fact sheet
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 for more information.
Image:  Characteristics of Japanese stiltgrass. Photo credit: Alabama
Cooperative Extension System

Want to learn more about managing Japanese stiltgrass
and other invasive warm season grasses?

Join Blue Ridge PRISM for our quarterly summer meeting
on Wednesday, July 21st at 1 pm!

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