A flowering multiflora rose along a forest edge.
Each season gives us a new opportunity to assess our forests and see the changes. The changing of the seasons also lets us know what is not native or doesn't belong in the Maine forest. This time of year is great for spotting a certain invasive plant that might otherwise go unnoticed, multiflora rose. It is late June and early July when multiflora rose flowers making it easy to spot in the landscape. Multiflora rose is a perennial shrub with thorny arching stems and white flowers. The clusters of flowers is where its name is derived from. It is commonly found in abandoned fields developing in small clumps where a seed may have been deposited by a passing bird or a heavy rain. These plants will creep into the forest along the edge and slowly develop along stream banks waiting for a free ride from rising waters. It is not as aggressive in a forest setting like other invasive plants such as glossy buckthorn, Japanese barberry, shrubby honeysuckle, or Asiatic bittersweet. The best way to protect your woodlot is to become familiar with these plants and be able to identify them while they are still young. They are easily removed by hand while they are small. Once they grow large a weed wrench or machinery can be used to remove the root system. Herbicide is typically a last resort and is best left to professional licensed applicators. If you have questions about invasive plants or would like to control them on your property, give us a call. We will gladly come out to walk your lot with you free of charge.
Here are two other recent articles putting the spotlight on terrestrial invasive plants.
http://www.sunjournal.com/news/franklin/2014/06/29/pandoras-box-waging-war-invasive-plants/1555021
http://www.forestsformainesfuture.org/fresh-from-the-woods-journal/aliens-in-the-maine-woods.html