"Invasive plants are increasingly altering the structure and function of our natural environment, and now researchers have determined how far-reaching the problem has become.
"Miconia trees with their ginormous green and purple leaves are invading botanic gardens all around the world. While the plant is aesthetically pleasing, it is also called the "green cancer" for its ability to claim and overwhelm new territories, according to researchers from the University of Alcalá.
A recent study revealed 91 countries that are at risk of being colonized by these...
Finding a way to stop fire-prone cheatgrass and other invasive species is unavoidable if sagebrush ecosystems in the West are to remain viable for native plants and animals, experts say.
More than 200 federal and state land managers and scientists trying to figure out how to do that took part in the three-day 2015 Western Invasive Weed Summit that wrapped up...
"Going for a walk the other day along a public trail I was struck by the number of invasive shrubs I saw. Most trees and shrubs have shed their leaves, but burning bush (Euonymus alatus), Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii) and honeysuckle (Lonicera spp.) still have leaves on their branches. Holding leaves and producing food by photosynthesis gives them extra energy to take over the world...
In New England, right around the start of autumn, many folks begin to adorn their front doors, fences, and yards with seasonal decorations. Pumpkins, bales of hay, stalks of corn, and a staple in the seasonal traditions, bittersweet. Wreathes and sprigs of these beautiful berries are sold along country roads, and at farmers markets, and are a tempting natural décor option. This plant is...
"Students and faculty managing the Ithaca College Natural Lands are in the process of removing what they hope is the last of an invasive species of plant known as Japanese stiltgrass after six years of sustained eradication efforts. On Sept. 26, the group cleared out a majority of the remaining stiltgrass.
"Bittersweet — it's the perfect name for a plant that has some lovely qualities but is also a terrible menace. Many people are familiar with this plant because it has been used for autumn decorations. It grows as a vine with an orange-red berry enclosed in a bright yellow casing.
The supple twisting stem and colorful berries make the bittersweet ideal for creating a fall wreath to hang...
"STERLING - There is a swath of grass cut on the edge of a field at Michael Pineo's farm about one-and-a-half highway lanes wide, but even that does not protect the field from one of Central Massachusetts' most challenging invaders.
"It still spreads everywhere," he said, pointing to tree-sized bushes of autumn olive - plants once used for roadside stabilization but now are an invasive...
"Most readers are familiar with monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus). The striking orange and black species has historically been widespread throughout North America.
Its life history makes it an attractive tool for lessons about insect ecology. Monarch caterpillars forage exclusively on milkweed (Asclepias). Foul-tasting chemicals they acquire from the plants render monarch...
"The tiny seedling was brought over from Eastern Europe and parts of Asia nearly 200 years ago and planted along riverbanks across the United States, mostly in the Southwest, to prevent erosion. It grew fast, its thick branches and oily leaves spreading across five states. As years passed, it became obvious that the introduction of salt cedar, or Tamarisk trees was a mistake. The invasive tree...
"Years ago, President Woodrow Wilson grazed sheep on the White House lawn. The wool was sold to raise money for the Red Cross during World War I.
Today there are other reasons to pasture animals on public property in towns and villages – and two Vermont towns experimenting with the practice are seeing positive results.
In Randolph, just at the edge of the village, Jenn Colby’s...
At the height of summer, numerous plants are in bloom. Also in bloom are the reported sightings of invasive plants. While many reports correctly identify common culprits, like Wild parsnip and Japanese knotweed, the suspected sightings of other invasive plants increase because of native plant look-a-likes.
Oak wilt is an aggressive and often deadly disease that affects all species of oaks (Quercus). It is one of the most serious tree diseases in the eastern United States.
Each year thousands of oaks die from this disease in yards, public landscapes and forests. It has been found in 21 states, with considerable damage occurring in...
As a landscaper, Judson Kimble is used to pulling out tough weeds. But this plant fought back.
"The foliage, the stems, the flowers. Any of it. If you break it, it all has juice inside of it," Kimble said.
That juice earned the wild parsnip its second name, "poison parsnip." And it's the reason Kimble has long, red marks all over his arms. When the sap hit his...
"An attractive yellow flower blooming along Southern Tier highways and in open areas is related to the giant hogweed and should be avoided, the state Department of Environmental Conservation advises.
The wild parsnip has expanded its range in recent years, and while not as dangerous as the giant hogweed, which can severe burns and blisters, is still not to...
