Invasive Plants on the Horizon

Nancy J. Loewenstein School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Auburn University

Rue-leaved saxifrage (Saxifraga tridactylites)

Flowers small, white, 5-petaled; blooms in March

Leaves small, 3-lobed, may have reddish tinge

Zig-zag stems are red in color; Prolific seed production Photos: Wayne Barger

Rue-leaved saxifrage (Saxifraga tridactylites)

• Winter annual • About 6 inches tall • Grows in bare, dry locations with

sandy, rocky soils. • Prefers calcareous soils • Could pose threat to

limestone glades • So far, mostly found

growing in gravel on shoulder of roads (entire shoulder can be tinged red).

- Wayne Barger

Photo: Wayne Barger

Japanese chaff flower (Achyranthes japonica) Watch list A

Photos: Chris Evans, www.bugwood.org

Leaves opposite with entire margins

blooms late summer through early fall

fruit

seed dispersal!

flowers – no petals

Japanese hollyfern (Cyrtomium falcatum)

Spider brake fern (Pteris multifida) NJL

Requires moist soil Can handle deep shade Evergreen in mild climates

NJL

Fred Nation

Spider brake fern (Pteris multifida)

NJL

NJL

fig buttercup, lesser celandine (Ficaria verna)

Wildland Weeds - Spring 2014 leaves are dark shiny green, kidney- to heart-shaped, rubbery

Showy flowers, typically eight petals

fig buttercup

Plants form dense infestations and then die back after flowering

(short life cycle).

tubers and

bulbils* produce

new plants

* not all subspecies produce bulbils photos: www.bugwood.org

Chinese elm, lacebark elm (Ulmus parvifolia)

Nancy Loewenstein, Auburn University

www.carolinanature.com

Watch list B

Franklin Bonner, USFS, www.bugwood.org

distinctive bark

flowers and fruits in the

fall

serrate margin, base may be

slightly unequal

no corky ridges on stems

winged elm (Ulmus alata)

Chinese elm

doubly serrate margin

singly serrate margin

Photos: Nancy Loewenstein, Auburn University

Chinese holly (Ilex cornuta)

Nancy Loewenstein, Auburn University

Nancy Loewenstein, Auburn University

“horns”

glossy, leathery, evergreen leaves … terminal spine points down, next two point up like horns (scientific name ‘cornuta’ means horn)

There are many cultivars … spines

are lacking in some.

Howard F. Schwartz, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org

loquat (Eriobotrya japonica)

Rebekah D. Wallace, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org

• Evergreen shrub to small tree • Leaves dark green, glossy,

‘wrinkled’, with brownish fuzz on underside

• Fragrant, off-white flowers • 2 inch yellowish orange fruit

(edible)

• Showing up in wooded areas in south AL

• Fairly cold tolerant (plant to 8-10 F; flowers and fruit to 27 F)

yew podocarpus, Buddist pine, yew pine … (Podocarpus spp.)

Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental, Bugwood.org

• Evergreen shrub to small tree • Leaves long and narrow, may

bunch at ends of branches • Berry-like seed cones • USDA zones 8-10 • Showing up on wooded sites in

south Alabama

Dave’s Garden

We need your help!!

• Mapping invasive plants • Updating the ALIPC list

http://www.eddmaps.org

http://apps.bugwood.org/

Last update of ALIPC list was in 2012

Checklist for Invasive Plant Listing by State and Regional Invasive Plant Councils

• Developed by the National Association of Invasive Plant Councils (ALIPC is a member).

• Goal of checklist is to ensure that listing is done with: • highest standards for scientific rigor and

ecological expertise • transparent procedures and clear documentation • opportunity for public review • consistent, objective methodology to assure

comparability across lists

• Assessment Methodology • Provides a list of factors to consider • Can develop an assessment or find one that’s in use

• Scoring and Categorization • Develop or select a consistent, explicit method of

generating a score for each species. • Determine classification categories (how scores translate

into whether a plant is considered invasive or not)

Checklist for Invasive Plant Listing by State and Regional Invasive Plant Councils

• Identify individuals and organizations to provide input and approval of assessments.

• Experts to help with assessments • Committee of experts to review and refine draft

assessments • Committee of stakeholders to approve draft assessments

(e.g., state and federal agencies, universities, land managers, botanic gardens, horticulture industry, etc.)

Checklist for Invasive Plant Listing by State and Regional Invasive Plant Councils

• Documentation • Sources of information used for assessing each species

• Public review • Post draft assessments online (including documentation) • Circulate announcement to interested parties • Accept comments for 30-60 days

• Revise assessments • Involves both committees

• Post response document for public review • Accept comment for 30 days

• Review and revise as needed • Publish list

Checklist for Invasive Plant Listing by State and Regional Invasive Plant Councils

Will involve significant time commitment and stakeholder input.

• Information to help with assessments • field experience • mapping data … the more data on EDDMapS, the better!! • assessments from nearby states (https://assessment.ifas.ufl.edu/)

• literature

• Plant listing committee - will need volunteers

• Stakeholder committee - will need volunteers

Checklist for Invasive Plant Listing by State and Regional Invasive Plant Councils

Another emerging threat … non-native insects

Forest Health, Invasive Species, and Silviculture Trainings

• North Alabama Workshop – June 27-28 at Monte Sano State Park Lodge in Huntsville (registration limited to 50)

• South Alabama Workshop - July 18-19 at the Solon Dixon Forestry Center near Andalusia (registration limited to 50)

• offered by Southern Regional Extension Forestry and ACES

• identification, diagnosis and management of native and invasive pests of forests … one day of indoor instruction followed by a half day in the field

• CEUs • 7 Cat 2 CFEs • 8.5 PLM hours • pesticide points applied for

Funding: USDA NIFA-RREA

NJL

Questions?

Pyracantha spp.