August Invasives Journal

There were three very noticeable developments with Glastonbury's damaging plants as August came to an end:

First, the Japanese knotweed is in full bloom and you can see it along the road in many areas. This is a highly invasive plant (see earlier post on Japanese knotweed, and YouTube video for more info). Here's what to look for in late August and early September:

Next, invasive oriental bittersweet berries are starting to turn from green to orange. If you cut bittersweet vines with berries any time after mid-July be sure to dispose of the vines somewhere the seeds will not germinate and appear in the spring as seedlings. These berries have matured enough to have viable seeds:

 

Finally, wild grape vine (not an invasive plant but can be destructive to trees) is showing its "tree carpet" appearance in areas where growth is unmanaged:

It's never too late to start managing invasives on your property!