Woodland Non-native Invasive Plants - Ohio State University

Woodland Non-native Invasive Plants

Kathy L. Smith
OSU Extension Program Director – Forestry
School of Environment & Natural Resources

Ohio’s Forests

• 31% of the state is
forested (8.1 mil. Ac.)

• Over 340,000 private
woodland owners own
86% of the forest

• Forest products
industry add $22 billion
to the economy

• 60% of the 175 species
of birds that nest in
Ohio depend on forests





What do invasives do?

What do they do?

• Disrupt pollinator
relationships

• Reduce/eliminate forest
regeneration

• Compete with existing
stand for nutrients &
water

• Reduce/eliminate
understory plants



Control Methods

• For some species/sites
you may use a
mechanical method
followed up with a
foliar application

Bush
Honeysuckles

Tartarian Bush Honeysuckles
Morrow

Amur Bells/Showy Fly

Bush Honeysuckle
Mechanical Control

• dig, cut, mow
• small infestations of

small plants
• initiate in early

summer
• repeat until food

reserves exhausted

Honeysuckle Control Options

Foliar -
• glyphosate (Roundup, Accord etc.)
• 2,4-D + triclopyr (Crossbow)
• triclopyr (Garlon 3A, Tahoe 3A etc.)

Basal Spray –
• triclopyr (Garlon 4, Garlon 4Ultra etc. + a

penetrate)
• 2,4-D + triclopyr (Crossbow)

Cut Stump –
• glyphosate (Roundup, Accord etc.)
• 2,4-D + triclopyr (Crossbow)
• picloram + 2,4-D (Tordon RTU, Pathway etc.)

Combination –
• Mechanical removal and herbicide

Ailanthus

Tree of Heaven

1 tree can produce
300,000 seeds

Ailanthus

Ailanthus Control Options

Foliar -
• glyphosate (Roundup, Accord etc.)
• 2,4-D + triclopyr (Crossbow)
• triclopyr (Garlon 3A, Garlon 4, Remedy etc.)

Basal Spray –
• triclopyr (Garlon 4, Garlon 4Ultra etc. + a penetrate)
• imazapyr (Stalker, Chopper etc.)
• triclopyr + imazapyr (eg. Garlon 4+ Stalker)

Cut Stump –
• glyphosate (Roundup, Accord etc.)
• triclopyr (Garlon 3A, Garlon 4, Remedy etc.)
• imazapyr (Stalker, Chopper, Arsenal etc.)

Hack & Squirt –
• triclopyr (Garlon 3A, Tahoe 3A etc.)
• imazapyr (Arsenal etc.)

Tree-of-Heaven

HEALTH ALERT

www.alexnice.com/FOMDC/GPS

Exposure to sap of tree-of-heaven has resulted
in inflammation of the heart muscle
(myocarditis):

• fever/chills
• chest pain radiating down both arms
• shortness of breadth
• resulting in hospitalization
• victim’s exposure through broken skin

Autumn
Olive

Russian Olive vs Autumn Olive

Autumn Olive Control Options

Foliar -
• glyphosate (Roundup, Accord etc.)
• 2,4-D + triclopyr (Crossbow)
• triclopyr (Garlon 3A, Tahoe 3A etc.)
• imazapyr (Arsenal plus a non-ionic surfactant)

Basal Spray –
• triclopyr (Garlon 4, Garlon 4 Ultra etc. + a penetrate)
• 2,4-D + triclopyr (Crossbow)
• imazapyr (Chopper, Stalker etc.)

Cut Stump –
• glyphosate (Roundup, Accord etc.)
• triclopyr (Garlon 3A, Tahoe 3A etc.)
• imazapyr (Chopper, Stalker etc.)
• 2,4-D + triclopyr (Crossbow)

Combination –
• Mechanical removal and herbicide

Buckthorn

Buckthorns

Leaves
Persistent
Into Late

Fall

Common Buckthorn Glossy Buckthorn

(Rhanmus cathartica) (Frangula alnus)

Common Glossy

Buckthorn Control Options

Foliar -
• glyphosate (Roundup, Accord etc.)
• triclopyr (Garlon 3A, Tahoe 3A etc.)
• imazapyr (Arsenal plus a non-ionic surfactant)

Basal Spray –
• triclopyr (Garlon 4, Garlon 4Ultra etc. + a penetrate)
• imazapyr (Chopper, Stalker etc.)

Cut Stump –
• glyphosate (Roundup, Accord etc.)
• imazapyr (Chopper, Stalker etc.)
• triclopyr (Garlon 3A, Tahoe 3A etc.)

Combination –
• Mechanical removal and herbicide

Callery
Pear

Joe Boggs, OSUE



Callery Pear



Paulownia

• Also known as princess
tree, royal paulownia or
empress tree

• 1 tree can produce 20
million seeds

Control Options

• Pull young seedlings when soil
is moist

• Basal Bark
• Triclopyr (Garlon 4 etc.)

• Cut Stump
• Use systemic – glyphosate or
triclopyr

• Foliar
• Use on small dense
infestations
• glyphosate & non-ionic
surfactant or triclopyr

• Hack & Squirt
• Triclopyr, imazapyr, or
picloram+2,4 - D

Kudzu

Root diameter – up to 7”
Depth – 3.0’ – 9.0’
Growth rate – up to 60’/yr.

Kudzu Pueraria montana var. lobata

• Woody perennial vine
• Compound (3 leaflets),

alternate deciduous leaves
• Leaflets may be entire or

deeply 2-3 lobed with hairy
margins
• Individual flowers, ½” long,
purple fragrant in hanging
clusters
• Once established can grow
60’ a year
• Taproot may be 7” in
diameter and 6’ in length

Kudzu St. Clairsville, OH

Mechanical methods only control the
spread (pulling, cutting, grazing)
Cut Stump: small populations with non-

target plants

• 25% v/v solution of glyphosate &
water OR 25% v/v solution of
triclopyr (ex. Garlon 4) & water

Foliar: large populations
• 2% v/v solution of either glyphosate

& water OR triclopyr and water
PLUS a .5% concentration of a non-
ionic surfactant
Root Crown: young or re-sprouting stem
• Trace to the root, dig or cut into
root crown & apply 50% v/v
solution of either glyphosate or
triclopyr & water to the main root
crown & underground runners





Great Lakes Early Detection Network

• http://go.osu.edu/GLEDN
• Droid version live
• iPhone version coming

soon

• http://apps.bugwood.org/gledn

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