Monthly Archives: December 2014

Inkberry

This is a stand of improved slash pines planted in 1995 and were 4th row thinned about three years ago. Last week, I made a blog post about Japanese Fern and Chinese Privet. Here is a native shrub found in the Coastal Plain region – Inkberry (Illex glabara). UGA Extension Forestry Weed Specialist Dr. David Moorhead says that burning will keep it small in stature but it is adapted to fire. A herbicide treatment using tricolpyr would be helpful. This would also will be fine without harming grasses. For more information on forest weed control, visit the Center For Invasive Species website.

Inkberry

UGA Extension Forestry Specialists Dr. David Moorhead and Dr. David Dickens say now is a good time to control some invasive weeds with foliar sprays. Our main treatment options are foliar, basal, cut surface or injection. This time of the year, a foliar treatment is a good option.

Chinese Privet – UGA

Chinese privet seed soil viability is only one year, so where we see it, it is really dispersed by birds. Basal treatments of privet can be difficult because of number of branches. Dr. David Dickens says dormant-season treatments of privet with glyphosate at 3-5% solutions provide effective control with little non-target impacts. Anything over 5% is not economical. This is a foliar spray. Since glyphosate has no soil activity, it is safe for non-target plants. The greatest non-target impacts (discovered) were to sedges and winter-green species. If privet is next to woods, some grass could be damaged if it is not dormant. Direct sprays are effected for small and medium size plants with direct access. A mist blower would help with larger plants.

Japanese Climbing Fern

Japanese climbing fern is an invasive fern and does not produce flowers. It is native to eastern Asia and was introduced in the U.S. during the 1930s as an ornamental plant. A 3-5% solution of glyphosate is also good as a foliar spray. Here is some we saw as we were in the woods at our forestry program yesterday. Dr. Moorhead says we have to be careful because Japanese fern will adapt to burning, so this should not be our only method of control. With these small ferns coming up, now would be a good time to hop on a four-wheeler and use a hand-gun approach to treat these weeds.

I was out with Wallace Reed on Seminole Plantation Friday where some cogongrass has been spotted. Today Mark McClure with the Georgia Forestry Commission came by to inspect for treatment. We’re looking a little over an acre of congongrass. As a highly invasive species, Cogongrass will outcompete native grasses and eliminate wildlife habitats. It is very dense and hardly anything grows within it. It spreads by rhizomes, and usually shows up in a circular infestation. On this plantation, it is easy to see where it started and was spread by equipment. You could also notice the grass stopping along the edges where firebreaks were plowed.

There are actually two varieties. This is the taller variety that is less common. The shorter variety tends to fall over at the end of the season. This one is still standing. Mark has seen this variety grow as tall six feet tall.

Identification

Midrib not centered on cogongrass.

You can identify it a few different ways. First, the midrib on the upper part of the leaf is off-center. Leaves edges are also very rough and tips pointed. The rhizomes are white, segmented and have a scaly appearance – like peeling an onion. The rhizomes are also very pointed. In a dense stand like this, you can place your hand on the ground and feel the sharp points. One of its biggest characteristics is the white, fluffy plume-like seed head it usually initiates in late spring. Occasionally, congongrass will initiate flowering once it is stressed (mowing, burning, freeze, etc.) Mark has seen its plumes in lower Thomas County as early as January, if temperatures are warm enough.

Rhizomes are whitish, branched, scaly and sharp at the tips.

Thomas County has probably had between 8 and 10 reports of cogongrass this year. Overall, there has been less reports sites in 2014 than in many years. The GA Forestry Commission has been doing a good job with control. Most of their treatments will include imazapyr, which has soil activity. When you get around hardwood trees, like the live oaks here, they will use glyphosate – no soil activity. Burning normally causes cogongrass to initiate flowers. Mark says its good if you can do the burn much later than normal, like (Mid-spring). There is no way to know how long its infested this area, but it’ll take a few years to clear it up completely.

A few good cogongrass resources are Cogongrass from NRCS and also information off the Invasive Plant Atlas – Cogongrass.