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Asiatic Bittersweet

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Asiatic Bittersweet © Qwert1234 Introduction to the U.S: Asiatic bittersweet is an invasive vine that is native to China, Japan, and Korea It was brought into the United States in 1860 The vine was brought over as an ornamental plant It is often cut in the fall to be used for decoration. However, this typically causes an increase in the spread of the invasive  ( Oriental bittersweet - michigan State University ) © Andrew Sparks How it spreads/invades: Asiatic bittersweet grows very rapidly and unchecked which allows it to quickly outcompete other species The vine often wraps tightly around trees and shrubs, strangling them which prevents the flow of both water and nutrients throughout them Since it climbs trees, the weight of bittersweet may also cause the collapse of trees and pull others along with it  ( Crandall Park Trees ) © Jay Cross © Landman23 How to identify: Bittersweet can be identified by its vines spiraling up trees Its berries can also be used to identify the pla...
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A Brief History of Non-Native-Invasive plants in Massachusetts

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There has been a long history of Non-native plants in Massachusetts.   European settlers first introduced them in the early 1600s as garden plants such as clovers and dandelions.  As time went on more exotic plants were introduced and some of those exotic plants also were invasive in the area.  Some of the most common invasive plants that Massachusetts host today include: Japanese Barberry, Japanese Knotweed, Asiatic Bittersweet, and Winged Burning Bush.  In the 1990s the state created a prohibited plant list, that banned the sale of specific plants because they were invasive.  This list has been updated numerous times and can still be found on Mass.gov.  Currently, invasive species pose a large threat to the many different ecosystems that the state possesses.    Winged Burning bush                                    Japanese Barberry       ...
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Japanese Barberry

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How it was Introduced/Migrated  Introduced in the U.S. in 1875 as an ornamental plant, the Japanese Barberry is one of New England's most abundant invasive species. This plant can be found from North Carolina to Maine with the USDA saying it grows well in the hardiness range of 4 to 8. This plant is also sun and shade tolerant.  How it started to take over the ecosystem  Initially spreading as an ornamental, the Japanese Barberry is estimated to cover 4.6% - 6.5% of all forested land in Massachusetts. This number has gotten so high because the barberry can produce a prolific amount of seeds each year. These seeds are then dispersed mainly by birds eating them in residential yards.  Source: https://whyy.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/bigstock-A-Red-Crimson-Japanese-Barberr-230607913-768x512.jpg  How to remove the invasive including case study  Mechanical control           According to Penn State educator Tim Abbey, the best way to re...
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Winged Burning Bush

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Winged Burning bush                                                                                                       How was Winged Burning bush introduced? Winged Burning bush is originally from Northeastern Asia, Japan, and Central China but was introduced to the U.S. around the 1860's. It was introduced as an ornamental plant and used for landscaping. This plant can grow in the sun or the shade and is very adaptable  How did they start to take over our ecosystem? While this invasive may look pretty, it brings a threat to many habitats.  Winged burning bush has high seed production and get dispersed by birds and other animals who eat the berries. It reduces the chance for native plants to grow in the understory ...
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Japanese Knotweed

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Japanese Knotweed Facts and Removal Techniques   How it was introduced/ migrated Introduced in late 1800s from East Asia to stabilize streambanks by Philipp Franz Balthasar von Siebold ( Shallcross) . He w ent on a 7-year journey studying medicine and collecting plants.  He was interested in Japanese plants and bringing Western medicine to Japan. Siebold was a  popular botanist who introduced this species as an ornamental .  Another use for this plant is erosion control (JSTOR).  © The Portugal News How it started to take over the ecosystem Seeds are papery and spread easily through wind and water ( Penn State Extension ). They are n ot too durable but the number of them compensates. Knotweed h as rhizomes that form an interconnected network underground (Gillies). Jap anese knotweed can re-root itself by having a piece of it breaking off and floated down a stream and colonizing new area (pervasive). There are  no predators or diseases an...
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