For More Information Visit: http://www.HawkeyeCWMA.org

ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABELS. Oriental Proper training for prescribed fires is highly recommended. Bittersweet Leaves intertwining Berries in the fall Basic training can be found online at http://training.nwcg.gov/courses/s130.html orbiculatus and Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec http://training.nwcg.gov/courses/s190.html

1 Related Websites: 2 http://www.iowadnr.com/forestry/invasive.html http://plants.usda.gov www.invasivespecies.gov 3 www.nps.gov/plants/alien

4 Credits: Photographs: Mark Vitosh, IDNR; Mary Sue Bowers, USACE; US Fish and Wildlife; Courtney Janiak, Boston Globe; Joseph Austin, Austin, TX; www.bugwood.org; www.prairiemoon.com; Judy Kelly Management Techniques Brochure Created By: Sarah Chmielewski, Karen Clauson

1. (All Year) Cut vines close to the ground. Apply herbicide within 15 minutes of cutting, using a sponge applicator or paintbrush. Larger vines can be left in the to decompose (do not allow hanging Last updated: 2/14/2011 vines to touch the ground, as they may re-root). This works best in the fall. If used at other times of the year re-sprouting can occur. This works best if followed by technique 2. The Hawkeye Cooperative Weed Management A. 25% Triclopyr solution (if temp. is between 30°F and 80°F). Area (HCWMA) is a collective group of county, state, and federal agencies, nonprofit organiza- 2. (Spring-Fall) Cutting or mowing young vines or resprouts. Frequent (2-week intervals) cutting can tions and community associations who have come together to combat the invasive deplete root stores. Less frequent intervals will stimulate root suckering (new shoots being sent up problem in Eastern Iowa. The HCWMA serves from the roots). This should be followed by technique 4. Benton, Cedar, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Linn, and Louisa Counties and is open to all interested parties. The Term CWMA, or Cooperative Weed 3. (Spring- Late October) Foliar spray. Apply herbicide to leaves using a sprayer. In general this tech- Management Area, refers to a local organization nique will have a deeper root-kill if used in the fall, but can be used to top kill the in the spring that integrates invasive species management resources across jurisdictional boundaries in and summer . When the plants are young it is best to follow this with technique 4. order to benefit entire regions. A. 2% Triclopyr solution (if temp. is between 30°F and 80°F). Funding for this brochure provided by the US Forest A S ERIOUS T HREAT Service through a Healthy Forest Initiative Grant. To 4. (Spring) Pull young vines and their roots by hand. Walk with the roots as you pull them up in order to All Hawkeye CWMA members (agencies, organizations, get rid of the entire underground system. Pulled vegetation must be bagged and removed from the and individuals) are equal opportunity providers and Iowa’s Woodlands area. Monitor area for re-sprouting. This technique is only useful on very young plants. employers. ______What is the Difference Between What is Oriental What does Oriental Bittersweet Leaves: The leaves are glossy, Oriental and American Bittersweet? Look Like? rounded, finely toothed and • Rapid spreading, highly invasive non-native alternately arranged along the Bittersweet? Identifying traits: Climbing with round, glossy, woody vine. stem. finely toothed leaves. Green or yellow grow at • Introduced from Eastern Asia in the 1860s. Oriental bittersweet (): the leaf axils along the stem, and reveal red-orange • Brought to the US for ornamental purposes. Berries: When the female plants Reaches heights of 60 feet. Has fruits and berries later in the fall. mature, spherical green to yellow located at the leaf axils along the stem. ______fruits split open to reveal three red- The capsules of the fruits are yellow. Leaves Young vines: orange fleshy arils are flat. Vines grow vertically. that contain seeds. American bittersweet (Celastrus scandens): As they mature they Only grows to heights of 20-30 feet. Flowers wrap around each Flowers: Clusters of small greenish and fruits only appear at the end of the stem in other, gaining support flowers emerge from the leaf axils. clusters. Fruits are fewer to reach sunlight. This allows each plant to produce and larger than the ones

large numbers of seeds. found on oriental bitter-

sweet. The color of the cap- Vines on trees: ______sules around the fruits tend Wrap around the to be a darker orange-red. as they grow towards Leaves appear to be rolled the top. Once they when they finish growing. reach the canopy they start growing back to- wards the ground. The weight of the vines eventually pulls down the entire tree.

Seeds on wreaths can stay viable for many weeks after being cut. Birds may eat the berries, helping to disperse the seeds. Once thrown away, seeds on Native Alternatives: Wild Cucumber (Echinocystis lobata)- wreath may enter the soil and germinate. VirginiaWhere creeper is (Parthenocissus it Found? quinquefolia)- This herbaceous, annual vine grows best in moist soils. ThisLorem native, ipsum woody, dolor deciduoussit amet, consectetuer vine can reach adipiscing up to 60 The white flowers are found in long, erect clusters. ftelit, tall sedon trees. diem nonummyClusters of nibh blue-black euismod berries tincidunt provide ut Bloom time What is the threat to Iowa? foodlacreet for doloremany animals magna aliguamthroughout erat the volutpat. winter. UtThis wisis vine for the flowers is • Has no natural growth controls. enim ad minim veniam, consequat,works vel well illum as an dolore orna- from July to • Prevents light from getting to native plants. eu feugiat nulla facilisis at veromental eros et because accumsan it does et September. • Spreads rapidly, chokes trees as the vine iusto odio dignissim qui blanditnot praesent cause damageluptatum. if it The is climbs up the tree. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuergrows against adipiscing a building. green, oval, • Causes trees to topple from the weight of the elit, sed diem nonummy nibh euismodAlso can tinciduntbe used utto vines. lacreet dolore magna aliguamcontrol erat volutpat. soil erosion Ut wisis if and is cov- ered in soft • Displaces native American Bittersweet enim ad minim veniam, consequat,grown vel as illuma groundcover. dolore (Celastrus scandens). eu feugiat nulla facilisis at veroLeaves eros et turn accumsan. red in fall. thorns. American bittersweet (Celastrus scadens)