Invasive Plants in Your Woodlands and How to Get Rid of Them

Invasive plants in Maine can be severely detrimental to woodlands. They feed off and suffocate delicate undergrowth and threaten the ecosystem of forests. If you spot invasive plants in your woodlands, be sure to take some of these steps to eliminate them:

• Multiflora or Rambler Rose is one of the most common invasive plants in Maine. It is a shrub which prefers old fields, roadsides, and forest edges. It tolerates moist and dry conditions, making it a hardy adversary. Dense patches of this plant will significantly retard forest regeneration. Shrubs like this are usually difficult to remove, but can be killed by digging out the root or pulling with a Weed Wrench. Larger infestations will need to be eliminated with a bulldozer and overlay of a barrier.

• Japanese Honeysuckle is a vining plant that strangles and suffocates its host. It is aggressive and grows quickly. Moist habitats, like shores along rivers and streams and the undergrowth of woodlands, are this vines preferred location. Vines often have shallow roots and can easily be pulled from the ground. Monitor for further sprouts.

• Other species, like Japanese Knotweed, are extremely difficult to eliminate. This plant is commonly referred to in Maine as "bamboo" although it is not related to the bamboo species. Any leftover shoot or remnants of the plant can sprout roots. Digging or pulling out these plants is inefficient and not recommended as they will leave behind fragments. Long-term (once a month for several years) cutting of the ground followed by smothering with a barrier layer is one of the only ways to kill this species.

For a list of other invasive species and control methods, refer to this list.