A FIELD GUIDE TO TERRESTRIAL INVASIVE PLANTS IN WISCONSIN

Edited by: Thomas Boos, Courtney LeClair, Kelly Kearns, Brendon Panke, Bryn Scriver, Bernadette Williams, & Olivia Witthun This guide was adapted from “A Field Guide to Invasive Plants of the Midwest” by the Midwest Invasive Plant Network (MIPN).

Additional editing was provided by Jerry Doll, Mark Renz, Rick Schulte

Illustrations by Bernadett e Williams

Design by Dylan Dett mann.

Table of Contents Introduction to the fi eld guide 1

NR-40 Control Rule 2

Map legend 3

Best Management Practices for Invasive Species 3

Appendices A - Remaining NR-40 Species a

B - Overview of Control Methods

C - References and Resources Table of Contents

TREES Common tansy - R F-5 Black locust - N T-1 Creeping bellfl ower - N F-6 Common buckthorn - R T-2 Crown vetch - N F-7 Glossy buckthorn - R T-3 Dame’s rocket - R F-8 Olive - Autumn, Russian - R T-4 European marsh thistle - P/R F-9 Tree-of-heaven - R T-5 Garlic mustard - R F-10 Giant hogweed - P F-11 SHRUBS Hedge parsley - Japanese, Spreading - P/R F-12 Eurasian bush honeysuckles - Amur, Bell’s, S-1 Hemp nett le - R F-13 Morrow’s, Tartarian - P/R Hill mustard - P/R F-14 Japanese barberry - N S-2 Hound’s tongue - R F-15 Multifl ora rose - R S-3 Knotweed - Giant, Japanese - P/R F-16 Poison hemlock - P/R F-17 Purple loosestrife - R F-18 VINES Spott ed knapweed - R F-19 Chinese yam - P V-1 Spurge - Cypress, Leafy - R F-20 Japanese honeysuckle - P V-2 Sweet clover - White, Yellow - N F-21 Japanese hops - P/R V-3 Teasel - Common, Cut-leaved - R F-22 Oriental bitt ersweet - R V-4 Thistle - Bull, Musk, Plumeless - R F-23 Swallow-wort - Black, Pale - P/R V-5 Wild chervil - P/R F-24 Wild parsnip - R F-25 FORBS Yellow star thistle - P F-26 Bird’s-foot trefoil - N F-1 GRASSES Canada thistle - R F-2 Japanese stilt grass - P G-1 Catt ail - Hybrid, Narrow-leaved - R F-3 Phragmites (Common reed grass) - R G-2 Celandine (Greater celandine) - P/R F-4 Reed canary grass - N G-3 Prohibited=P Restricted=R Prohibited/Restricted=P/R Not-Regulated-N Introduction to the Field Guide

There has long been a need for a fi eld guide providing basic information on the major invasive plants in Wisconsin. With the development of the Wisconsin Invasive Species Identifi cation, Classifi cation and Control Rule – NR40 Wisconsin has, for the fi rst time, a legal list of invasive species including 60 plants indicated in this guide with a map (red for “Prohibited”, orange for “Restricted”). The other species in this guide are not currently regulated for a number of reasons, but these species are in- cluded here because they either have proven to be invasive in at least part of Wisconsin or in another region that is similar to Wisconsin. Species that are not currently regulated by NR40 are identifi ed as such with a gray map.

The bulk of this guide is made up of photos and text to describe species including characteristics to aid in identifi cation, characteristics to tell the invasive species apart from look a-like species, and con- trol information. To supplement this control information there is also an overview of control methods in Appendix B.

Appendix A contains species regulated by NR40 with photos that are helpful for identifi cation, but no text, as they are unlikely to be found by most users of the guide. These species are either not yet known in the state or are known to be in a very restricted area.

1 NR-40 Control Rule To assist with minimizing the introduction and spread of invasive species in Wisconsin, the state leg- islature authorized the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to develop a comprehensive invasive species program and rule to identify, classify and control invasive species. The rule is likely to be fi nalized by late 2009. It establishes a science-based assessment and classifi cation system designed to help DNR staff and others prioritize their actions regarding invasive species to be more effi cient and cost-eff ective by ensuring that energy and resources are spent on those species and populations with the greatest likelihood of harm and the greatest opportunity for control. The rule provides fl exibility allowing citizens, business and government to continue operations without undue restriction.

The rules establish two legal categories—prohibited and restricted. For each species there is a map indicating how and where the species is regulated. “Prohibited” (indicated in red on the maps) are species generally not yet known in the indicated part of the state. They may not be transported, pos- sessed, transferred (including sale), or introduced. The goal is to contain these species wherever they may be found in the state. To this end, when prohibited species are found a voucher specimen should be collected and sent to the Wisconsin State Herbarium for identifi cation. Instructions for how to col- lect a useful voucher specimen can be found on the web at htt p://dnr.wi.gov/invasives/futureplants/ voucher.htm. “Restricted” (indicated in orange on the maps) are species already widespread in at least part of the state. They may not be transported, transferred (including sale), or introduced. If they are already on your property, you are encouraged, but not required to remove them. They may be possessed and transported for education, identifi cation, control, and disposal. Permits may be avail- able for other purposes such as research.

Some species are split listed. A split listed species is prohibited in some parts of the state and restrict- ed in others. The maps for these species indicate where each species is prohibited (red) or restricted (orange). Some species are not regulated at this time, but were included because of their known invasiveness. These species are indicated by a gray map.

2 Species Regulation Map Keys

Prohibited Restricted Prohibited/Restricted Not Regulated

A person may incidentally or unknowingly transport, possess, transfer or introduce an invasive spe- cies if they took reasonable precautions not to do so (e.g., cleaned their mower or ATV aft er use but missed some invasive plant seeds).

More details on the Invasive Species Rule may be found at htt p://dnr.wi.gov/invasives/

Best Management Practices for Invasive Species A diverse set of stakeholders under the direction of the Wisconsin Council on Forestry developed voluntary Best Management Practices (BMPs) to prevent the introduction and spread of invasive plants, insects, and diseases. Separate but related sets of BMPs were developed for the forest industry, recreational users, urban forests, and transportation and utility right-of-ways. Some examples of BMPs include:

- Do not plant known invasive plants. - Clean equipment, shoes, and clothing upon leaving infested areas. - Minimize soil disturbance.

For more information and to learn how you can follow BMPs to limit the spread of invasive species please go to htt p://council.wisconsinforestry.org/ 3 Black locust Robinia pseudoacacia

T-1 Black locust Robinia pseudoacacia N

A fast-growing tree in the legume family, black pastures, old fi elds, and road- locust grows 30-90’ tall with a trunk up to 4’ in sides. Its vigorous vegetative diameter. It forms large, multiple-stemmed clones reproduction forms extensive, that can cover acres. Seedlings and small branches dense groves of clones that ex- have paired thorns. The bark is smooth and green clude native vegetation. on saplings, but dark with deep furrows on ma- •Damage to roots or stems (such as from fi re, ture trees. wind, cutt ing, or disease) stimulates vigorous sprouting, root suckering, and lateral spread. Leaves: Alternate, pinnately compound with 7-21 Control: leafl ets, arranged in pairs with one unpaired leaf- •Manual/Mechanical: Neither cutt ing nor gir- let at the tip. Leafl ets are thin, entire, elliptic, blu- dling alone are eff ective to kill a clone; they stim- ish-green above and pale beneath. Leaves are slow ulate stump and root sprouting or suckering. to emerge in the spring. Burning and mowing can temporarily control the spread of young shoots from a parent tree or Flowers: White, pea-like, very fragrant, in showy, clone; however both can promote seed genera- drooping infl orescences. Bloom in mid-spring. tion and stimulate sprouting. •Chemical: All black locust stems in a clone Fruits & seeds: Flat, shiny brown pods, 2-6” long, must be treated for chemical treatment to be contain 4 to 8 seeds. Pods oft en persist on tree eff ective. Foliar spray trees under 8’ tall with through winter. clopyralid, metsulfuron-methyl, aminopyralid, or fosamine ammonium. Basal bark treat trees Roots: Extensive system of fi brous roots and shal- over 8’ tall and under 4” dbh with triclopyr. low rhizomes. Reproduces vegetatively by root Chainsaw girdle and treat or cut and treat trees suckering and stump sprouting. over 8’ tall and over 4” dbh with triclopyr ester, clopyralid, glyphosate, or fosamine ammonium Ecological threat: from late summer into the dormant season. •It invades forests, upland prairies and savannas, Common buckthorn Rhamnus cathartica

T-2 Common buckthorn Rhamnus cathartica R

Common buckthorn is a shrub or small tree up stone slopes, and has 2-6” alter- to 20-25’, oft en with several stems, and spread- nate leaves, gradually tapering ing crown. Its bark is gray to brown with promi- to a point at the tip. nent light-colored lenticels. Cut branches reveal yellow sapwood and orange heartwood. Twigs Ecological threat: oft en end in stout thorns. •Common buckthorn invades forests, riparian woods, savannas, prairies, old fi elds, and road- Leaves: Ovate or elliptic, with prominent veins sides. curving toward tip. Mostly opposite leaves, •It leafs out very early and retains its leaves 1-2.5” long, with tiny teeth. Stay green into fall. late into the fall, blocking out sunlight typically available for spring wildfl owers. Flowers: Inconspicuous but fragrant, small, •Buckthorn may alter soil nitrogen dynamics greenish-yellow, 4-petaled and clustered in leaf facilitating the elimination of leaf litt er and inva- axils. Male and female fl owers are borne on sep- sion by non-native earthworms. arate plants. Bloom May-June.

Fruits & seeds: Abundant clusters of round, Control: black, pea-sized fruit. Ripen on female plants in •Manual/Mechanical: Hand pull small late summer. plants. Dig or use a leverage tool on larger plants. Girdling can be eff ective. Cutt ing Roots: Extensive fi brous root system. without herbicide treatment will result in re- sprouting. Fire will kill seedlings. Similar species: Native plums and cherries •Chemical: Foliar spray with metsulfuron- have a similar bark. Alder buckthorn (Rhamnus methyl or triclopyr. Cut-stump treat with tri- alnifolia; native) is under 3’ with thornless twigs. clopyr or glyphosate in late fall through the Lance-leafed buckthorn (R. lanceolata; native) is winter. less than 6’, found in wet areas and on dry lime- Glossy buckthorn Frangula alnus (Rhamnus frangula)

T-3 Glossy buckthorn Frangula alnus (Rhamnus frangula) R

This shrub or small tree grows up to 20’, oft en twigs. Lance-leafed buckthorn with several stems, and spreading crown. It (R. lanceolata; native) is less than has gray to brown bark with prominent light- 6’ and has 2-6” alternate leaves, colored lenticels. Cut branches reveal yellow gradually tapering to a point at sapwood and orange heartwood. All cultivars the tip. except ‘Asplenifolia’ and ‘Fineline’ (Ron Wil- liams) are restricted. Ecological threat: •Glossy buckthorn invades wetlands including Leaves: Ovate or elliptic; prominent parallel acidic bogs, calcareous fens, and sedge mead- veins come straight out from midrib and curve ows. It also grows well in upland habitats; toler- slightly towards tip. Mostly alternate, untoothed, ates full sun to deep shade. 2-3” long, with glossy upper surface; dull under- •This shrub forms dense, even-aged thickets, re- side may be hairy. Stay green into fall. ducing light availability for understory species and preventing native tree regeneration. Flowers: Inconspicuous, pale-yellow, 5-petaled, and clustered in leaf axils. Bloom from mid- spring to fi rst frost. Control: •Manual/Mechanical: Prescribed fi re for Fruits & seeds: Abundant clusters of round, seedlings. Hand pull small plants. Dig or pea-sized fruit. Ripens progressively from red use a leverage tool on larger plants. Restore to dark purple in late summer to fall. fl ooding or high water tables where water tables were artifi cally lowered. Roots: Extensive fi brous root system. •Chemical: Foliar spray with metsulfuron- methyl or triclopyr. Cut-stump treat with tri- Similar species: Native plums and cherries clopyr or glyphosate in late fall through the have a similar bark. Alder buckthorn (Rham- winter. nus alnifolia; native) is under 3’ with thornless Autumn olive Elaeagnus umbellata Russian olive Elaeagnus angustifolia

Russian olive Elaeagnus angustifolia

Autumn olive Elaeagnus umbellata

Russian olive Autumn olive Elaeagnus angustifolia Elaeagnus umbellata

T-4 Autumn olive Elaeagnus umbellata Russian olive Elaeagnus angustifolia R

Autumn olive is a multi-stemmed shrub that Similar species: Two buff a- grows to 20’. Russian olive is a small tree that loberries, silver (Shepherdia ar- grows to 30’ and has twigs with a terminal spine. gentea; non-native) and russet Leaves and twigs on both species are covered by (S. canadensis; native), have sil- small silver or copper-colored scales. very or copper spots on foliage and stems but their leaves are opposite. Leaves: Simple and alternate. Autumn olive’s leaves are silver-gray on the underside, lance- Ecological threat: shaped or elliptic, with entire, wavy margins. •Autumn olive invades open and forested natu- Russian olive’s leaves are silver on both sides, ral areas, as well as roadsides and agricultural longer and more lance-shaped. Both species fi elds. Russian olive invades open areas, includ- have a gray-green hue when seen from a dis- ing shoreline areas; it uses water more quickly tance. than native species, and it can dry out riparian areas. Flowers: Tube or bell-shaped, fragrant, and •Both species alter nutrient cycling by adding borne in leaf axils. Bloom in late spring. Autumn nitrogen to the soil. olive fl owers are creamy white to light yellow. Control: Russian olive fl owers are yellow inside and sil- •Manual/Mechanical: Pull seedlings. Cut- ver outside. ting, mowing, and burning can top kill plants but they will resprout unless followed up Fruits & seeds: Fruits of the autumn olive are with chemical control. small, fl eshy, egg-shaped, pink to red with silver •Chemical: Foliar spray with imazapyr, gly- scales. Russian olive fruits are yellow, dry, and phosate, metsulfuron-methyl, or triclopyr. mealy. Both are dispersed by birds. Basal bark treat with triclopyr ester. Cut- stump treat with glyphosate, triclopyr, or Roots: Associated with nitrogen-fi xing bacteria. imazapyr. Cutt ing or other damage causes root suckering. Tree-of-heaven Ailanthus altissima

T-5 Tree-of-heaven Ailanthus altissima R

This rapidly-growing tree can reach 80’ or more. CAUTION: Skin contact with Tree-of-heaven has smooth, pale gray bark and the sap may cause dermatitis stout, light brown twigs. Leaves and male fl ow- or myocarditis, an uncommon ers have a strong odor of rancid peanuts. infl ammation of the heart.

Leaves: Large, alternate, pinnately compound, Ecological threat: 1-4’ long. Composed of 11-25 entire leafl ets, •Tree-of-heaven invades urban areas, fi elds, with the exception of one to several glandular roadsides, fencerows, woodland edges and for- teeth near the base. est openings. •It is a prolifi c seed producer, grows rapidly, Flowers: Small; yellow-green; 5-6 petals; borne and is allelopathic. Once established it can form in dense clusters near ends of upper branches in an impenetrable thicket. late spring; dioecious.

Fruits & seeds: Green turning pink to tan, pa- Control: pery, two winged samaras in clusters. Develop •Manual/Mechanical: Seedlings can be re- in late summer to early fall and may remain on moved by hand. Trees may be cut at ground the tree through winter. level with a saw, most eff ective when the tree has begun to fl ower. Re-sprouts may occur Roots: Aggressive, spreading rhizomes. aft er treatment and successful control will re- quire repeated cutt ing. Similar species: Other native plants look simi- •Chemical: Foliar spray with glyphosate or lar: black walnut (Juglans nigra), butt ernut (J. triclopyr ester from June-September. Basal cinerea), and some species of sumac (Rhus spp.). bark treat with triclopyr ester during the The leaf margins of the look-alikes have small summer. Cut-stump treat with triclopyr or teeth, with the exception of winged sumac, glyphosate. while those of tree-of-heaven are smooth. Lonicera maackii, L. morrowii, Eurasian bush honeysuckles L. tatarica, & L. x bella

Amur honeysuckle

Left to Right: L. morrowii, L. x bella, L. tatarica

S-1 Lonicera maackii, L. morrowii, Eurasian bush honeysuckles L. tatarica, & L. x bella P/R

Bush honeysuckles are dense, multi-stemmed Ecological threat: shrubs, 6-12’ tall. Older stems may have shaggy, •Bush honeysuckles invade a broad peeling bark and are oft en hollow between the range of habitats, including forest nodes. edges, open woods, fens, bogs, lake- L. maackii shores, roadsides, pastures, and old Leaves: Opposite, oval or oblong and untoothed. fi elds. Leaves may be hairless to downy and green or •They alter habitats by blocking blue-green. L. maackii leaves are elliptic to oblong sunlight, depleting soil moisture and come to a sharp, long point. and nutrients, and possibly releasing L. morrowii allelopathic chemicals that inhibit L. tatarica Flowers: Fragrant, tubular and arranged in pairs growth of other plants. L. x bella at leaf axils. Reddish pink or white, turning yellow •They have been widely planted as orna- with age. Bloom mid- to late spring. mentals and for wildlife.

Fruits & seeds: Red, orange or yellow, in pairs at leaf axils, and containing many seeds. Readily dis- persed by birds. Control: •Manual/Mechanical: Small to medium sized Roots: Fibrous and shallow. plants can be dug or pulled by hand or with a leverage tool. Prescribed burns in spring kill Similar species: Native Lonicera shrubs have short- seedlings and may top kill older plants. er, sparser growth forms and white pith in stems. •Chemical: Foliar spray with metsulfuron- Native Diervilla species have yellow fl owers and methyl, triclopyr, or glyphosate in early grow in dry or rocky sites. Native species develop spring prior to leaf out of native species. leaves 1-2 weeks later, drop them earlier in the fall, Cut-stump treat with glyphosate or triclopyr and oft en have solid stems. ester. Japanese barberry Berberis thunbergii

S-2 Japanese barberry Berberis thunbergii N

Japanese barberry is a small, dense, spiny shrub, Ecological threat: typically 2-3’ tall, though it may grow to 6’ tall •Japaneses barberry invades and 6’ wide. Its branches are reddish-brown, natural habitats including for- deeply grooved, somewhat zigzag in form, and ests, woodlands, oak savannas, bear a single sharp spine at each node. The inner wetlands, pastures, and mead- bark and wood is bright yellow. Some cultivars ows; it prefers well-drained soils. may be less invasive than others. •It appears to alter soil pH and nitrate levels, creating conditions that are benefi cial for its Leaves: Small, alternate, entire, and oval to growth. spatulate. May be green, bluish-green, or dark •Very invasive and widespread in states further reddish-purple, depending on the cultivar. Ar- east. Infestations in WI are more localized. ranged in clusters above single spines.

Flowers: Small, yellow, umbrella-shaped, with 6 petals and 6 slightly larger sepals; single or in clusters of 2-4. Bloom mid-spring.

Fruits & seeds: Small, bright red, oblong ber- Control: ries on narrow stalks. Mature in mid-summer •Manual/Mechanical: Dig out or pull plants and persist on shrub into winter. Dispersed by in early spring using heavy gloves, a hoe or birds. leverage tool. Use controlled burns in the ear- ly spring or late fall. Cutt ing will reduce seed Roots: Spreads vegetatively through horizontal development but resprouting will occur. lower branches that root freely when they touch •Chemical: Foliar spray with metsulfuron- the ground. Roots are yellow inside. methyl, triclopyr, or glyphosate. Use stump cut treatment with glyphosate or triclopyr. Multifl ora rose Rosa multifl ora

S-3 Multifl ora rose Rosa multifl ora R

Multifl ora rose is a thorny thicket-forming shrub with wide, arching canes and stiff , curved Ecological threat: thorns. It can grow 6-15’ tall and 6-13’ wide. •Multifl ora rose invades open woodlands, forest edges, old Leaves: Alternate, pinnately compound with fi elds, roadsides, savannas, and 5-11 small (0.5-1”) sharply-toothed oval leafl ets, prairies. nearly smooth on upper surface and paler with •It is extremely prolifi c and can form impene- short hairs on underside. Pair of fringed stipules trable thickets that cast dense shade and exclude at the base of each leaf. native plants.

Flowers: Abundant, showy, fragrant, and white to slightly pink. Flowers are 0.5-1.5” wide and form a panicle. Bloom mid- to late spring. Control: Fruits & seeds: Clusters of small (0.25” in di- •Manual/Mechanical: Dig up or pull using a ameter), hard, bright red fruits, or rose hips, tractor. Mow 3 to 6 times during the growing develop in summer, become brownish-red at season for 2 to 4 years. Early spring burns can maturity, and remain on plant through winter. be eff ective in fi re adapted communities, but Dispersed by birds and mammals. areas must be monitored for seedlings and re-sprouts. Roots: Stolons can root at the nodes; arching •Chemical: Foliar spray with metsulfuron- stems are capable of rooting at their tips. methyl, glyphosate, or triclopyr. To prevent bud development the following year, foliar Similar species: Native roses are distinguished spray with fosamine ammonium in late sum- by stipules with entire margins and slender, mer. Basal bark treat with triclopyr ester. Cut- straight thorns. Most native roses have larger, stump treat with glyphosate or triclopyr. pink fl owers. Chinese yam Dioscorea oppositifolia

V-1 Chinese yam Dioscorea oppositifolia P

Chinese yam is a deciduous perennial vine that surface and lacks bulbils. Morn- twines counterclockwise and can grow up to 15’. ing glory (Ipomoea spp.) and bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis), Leaves: Generally opposite, sometimes alternate both non-native, have similar along upper nodes; spear or heart-shaped with leaves, but also lack bulbils. Native 7-9 veins; 1.5-3” long and up to 1.5” wide. Newly greenbriars (Smilax spp.) have blue to purple ber- emerged leaves are tinted bronze while mature ries and some species have thorns. leaves generally are purple-red along leaf mar- gins, stems, and petioles. Ecological threat: •Chineses yam invades stream banks and other Flowers: Small, yellowish-white with a cinnamon riparian areas as well as mesic forests, roadways, fragrance. Flowers appear in leaf axils forming fence rows, and drainage ways. panicles or spikes. Bloom from June-September. •Rapid, early growth allows the vine to shade out native ground cover. It forms dense mats that can Fruits & seeds: Bulbils, small potato-like tubers down branches and kill small trees. produced in the leaf axils, are covered with ad- ventitious buds that can produce new plants; dispersed by gravity, animals, and water. Capable of bearing seeds in membranuous capsules; how- ever, reproduction by seed has not been verifi ed in Control: the United States. •Manual/Mechanical: Smaller populations can be controlled by mowing/cutt ing before bul- Roots: Large tuberous root that can resprout if bil production. Remove the entire root system. damaged. •Chemical: Foliar spray with glyphosate or tri- clopyr in July-October when leaves are devel- Similar species: Native wild yam (Dioscorea vil- oped and bulbils have not matured. losa) twines clockwise, has hairs on the upper leaf Japanese honeysuckle Lonicera japonica

V-2 Japanese honeysuckle Lonicera japonica P

Japanese honeysuckle is a perennial, semi-ever- green, woody vine, that grows up to 80’ in length. Ecological threat: Young stems are brown to red in color and are •Japanese honeysuckle invades usually pubescent. Older stems are woody and forests, prairies, fi elds and road- hollow, with bark that peels in long strips. sides. •Japanese honeysuckle vines can kill shrubs Leaves: Simple, opposite, oblong to oval, 1.5-3” and young trees by growing over them and long, sometimes lobed, and may be covered blocking out the sun, pulling them down with with fi ne soft hairs. Leaves persist on vine until their weight or girdling them by twisting tightly mid-winter. around stems and trunks.

Flowers: Borne in pairs at leaf axils; tubular and very fragrant. White to pink, turning yellow with age. Bloom late spring to early summer.

Fruits & seeds: Small, ¼” purple-black berries produced in fall. Dispersed by birds and mam- mals. Control: Roots: Produces underground rhizomes and •Manual/Mechanical: Pull or mow repeated- long, aboveground stolons that develop roots ly followed up by chemical control. Fire may where nodes contact soil. kill seedlings and set back older plants. •Chemical: Foliar spray with glyphosate or Similar species: Native honeysuckle vines are triclopyr amine in fall when native plants are much shorter than Japanese honeysuckle. They dormant. Cut-stump treat with glyphosate or also have red or orange berries, fl owers at the triclopyr amine. tips of stems, and connate leaves below fl owers. Japanese hops Humulus japonicus

V-3 Japanese hops Humulus japonicus P/R

Japanese hops is a climbing annual, herbaceous vine that grows up to 8’ long. Downward point- CAUTION: Skin contact with ing, rough, prickly hairs on stems and leaves this plant may cause dermatitis aid in twining clockwise on nearby vegetation. and blisters. Wear gloves when Stems are light green to reddish in color. handling.

Leaves: Opposite, 2-5” long, with serrated edges Ecological threat: and palmately divided into 5 or more lobes. Pet- •Japanese hops invades fl oodplains, stream ioles are as long or longer than length of leaves. banks and lakeshores where seeds can disperse via water. Flowers: Originate in leaf axils. Male and female •It spreads quickly because it can produce seed fl owers are on separate plants. Male fl owers are aft er just one year. upright, dull green panicles. Female fl owers are catkin-like drooping clusters. Bloom from July- September.

Fruits & seeds: Dry fruits are yellow-brown in color. Seeds are dispersed by wind and water.

Similar species: Native hops (Humulus lupu- lus) has 3-lobed leaves with petioles that are shorter than the length of the leaf. Wild cucum- Control: ber (Echinocystis lobata) has 5-lobed leaves like •Manual/Mechanical: Hand pull and remove Japanese hops, but it has tendrils and does not plants before seeds ripen. have downward pointing, prockly hairs along •Chemical: Foliar spray with glyphosate be- its stem. fore fl owering. Oriental bitt ersweet Celastrus orbiculatus

V-4 Oriental bitt ersweet Celastrus orbiculatus R

Oriental bitt ersweet is a woody, perennial, occur, which makes identifi ca- climbing vine that can grow into tree canopies. tion diffi cult. Stems may reach 6” in diameter. Ecological threat: Leaves: Alternate, glossy, and round with a •Oriental bitt ersweet invades for- pointing tip and shallow-toothed margins, 2-5” ests, woodlands, fi elds, hedge-rows, and coastal long. areas and can grow in open sites or under closed forest canopy. Flowers: Small, inconspicuous, 5-petaled, green- •It grows rapidly and is tolerant of a wide range ish-yellow fl owers in clusters of 3-7 at leaf axils. of habitats. Most plants dioecious. •Oriental bitt ersweet may damage trees by gir- dling trunks with its woody stem and shading Fruits & seeds: Showy, round capsules, clus- out leaves. It can weigh down crowns, making tered in leaf axils. Green in summer, yellow- them susceptible to damage from wind or heavy orange in fall. Split open at maturity to reveal snowfall or ice storms. three orange, fl eshy fruits, each containing 1 or 2 •It is widely planted as an ornamental vine, and seeds. Dispersed by birds and small mammals. is sometimes planted accidentally when mistak- en for American bitt ersweet. Roots: Spreading underground roots can sprout to form new stems. Control: •Manual/Mechanical: Dig out or hand pull Similar species: The native American bitt er- seedlings. sweet (Celastrus scandens) has fewer, larger clus- •Chemical: Foliar spray with glyphosate or ters of fruits or fl owers, which are borne termi- triclopyr. Basal bark treat with triclopyr ester. nally rather than at leaf axils and are generally Cut-stump treat with glyphosate or triclopyr darker red-orange. Its leaves are also less round- amine. ed than oriental bitt ersweet. Hybrids of the two Black swallow-wort Vincetoxicum nigrum (Cynanchum louiseae) Pale swallow-wort V. rossicum (C. rossicum)

Pale Swallow-Wort

Black Swallow-Wort

Pale Swallow-Wort

V-5 Black swallow-wort Vincetoxicum nigrum (Cynanchum louiseae) Pale swallow-wort V. rossicum (C. rossicum) P/R

Both swallow-worts are herbaceous, perennial vines. They twine 3-6’ and have small hairs on Ecological threat: their stems. Both species die back in the winter •Both invade the understory of forests, woodland edges, grass- V. nigrum Leaves: Opposite, oblong to ovate with pointed lands, and old fi elds covering na- tips; 2-5” long on short petioles. Smooth, dark tive vegetation and forming dense green and shiny. thickets. They are tolerant of sun and shade. Flowers: Black swallow-wort has small, dark •Black swallow-wort is shown to purple, 5-pointed, star-shaped fl owers covered reduce monarch butt erfl y popula- V. rossicum with fi ne, white hairs. Pale swallow-wort has tions, and grassland bird presence de- maroon to pale pink fl owers; petals are twice as creases greatly as infestations expand. long as wide and hairless. Umbel-like, branched clusters have 6-10 fl owers. Bloom June-July.

Fruits & seeds: Slender pods, similar to milk- Control: weed, 2-3” long, form late July-August; turn •Manual/Mechanical: Remove all seed pods from green to light brown or golden as they ma- before they open (mid-July) and burn or dis- ture. Seeds are fl at and att ached to thin fi laments pose of in a landfi ll. Dig up plants before seeds that aid in wind dispersal, similar to milkweed. ripen, removing the root crown and all root fragments. Roots: Black swallow-wort forms dense, knobby •Chemical: Foliar spray new growth aft er a root masses, can quickly replace cut shoots from summer mowing with triclopyr ester or gly- buds on the rhizome and regenerates from root phosate in August-September. Foliar spray af- fragments. Dormant buds on the root crowns of ter fl owering, but before seed production. Cut- pale swallow-wort can readily re-sprout when stump treat with glyphosate. cut. Bird’s-foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus

F-1 Bird’s-foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus N

Bird’s-foot trefoil is a perennial, fi ne-stemmed, (Trifolium spp.) and medics leafy legume that rises 6-24” above the ground. (Medicago spp.). Clover and It has a sprawling growth patt ern, but can also medic leafl ets have serrated be erect. Its stems are nearly square and have edges whereas those of bird’s- many branches that can become tangled and foot trefoil are smooth. matt ed. Ecological threat: Leaves: Clover-like leaves are pinnately com- •Bird’s-foot trefoil invades prairies, barrens, pound, alternate, and consist of three oval leaf- wildlife openings, roadsides, and open dis- lets and two smaller leafl et-like stipules that turbed areas. grow at the base of the leaf stalk. •It can form dense mats choking and shading out most other vegetation. Flowers: Bright yellow, pea-like fl owers, some- •Prescribed burns increase seed germination times streaked with red, are found in fl at-topped making it troublesome in native prairies. clusters at the ends of long stalks.

Fruits & seeds: One-inch long, slender seed pods in clusters resembling a bird’s foot. Pods turn from tan to dark brown as they mature. Control: Roots: The root system includes a long tap root, •Manual/Mechanical: For small infestations which may be longer than 3 feet, and a fi brous dig out roots removing all root fragments. mat near the soil surface consisting of secondary Frequent mowing at a height of 2” for several roots, rhizomes, and modifi ed stems. years. •Chemical: Foliar spray with clopyralid, gly- Similar species: When not in fl ower, bird’s-foot phosate, or triclopyr. trefoil is similar in appearance to some clovers Canada thistle Cirsium arvense

F-2 Canada thistle Cirsium arvense R

Canada thistle is an herbaceous perennial with Ecological threat: upright, grooved, hairy stems that branch near •It invades undisturbed ar- the top of the plant. It grows 2-6.5’ tall. eas such as prairies, savannas, glades, dunes, streambanks, Leaves: Simple, alternate, lance-shaped, ta- sedge meadows, and forest open- pering, irregularly lobed, with spiny, toothed ings, as well as, croplands, pastures, lawns, gar- margins, stalkless. Green on both sides; smooth dens, roadsides, ditches, and waste sites. early but becoming pubescent with maturity. •Once established, it spreads quickly forming monocultures. Flowers: Numerous, small (0.5-0.75” wide), purple to pink (rarely white) terminal fl ower heads. Bracts have spineless tips. Bloom June- September. Control: Fruits & seeds: Small, light brown seeds have a •Manual/Mechanical: Repeated pulling and tuft of tan hair loosely att ached to the tip to en- mowing (minimum 3 times per growing sea- able wind dispersal. Seeds are oft en spread by son) weakens roots; mow when fl ower buds mowing aft er fl owering has begun. are just about to open. Late spring (May-June) burns for 3 consecutive years stimulates ger- Roots: Reproduces clonally by horizontal roots mination and kills some seedlings. that grow up to 10-12’ per year. Also produces •Chemical: Foliar spray with aminopyralid, taproots that may grow more than 6’ deep. metsulfuron-methyl, or clopyralid. Foliar Readily regenerates from root fragments. spray with glyphosate during the early bolt- ing phase when plants are 6-10” tall or dur- Similar species: Canada thistle is distinguished ing the bud to fl ower phase or to rosett es in from other thistles by its creeping lateral roots, the fall. dense clonal growth, and dioecious fl owers. Catt ail Hybrid Typha x glauca Narrow-leaved catt ail T. angustifolia ail tt Typha angustifolia Typha Narrow-leaved ca

Catt ail Hybrid Narrow-leaved catt ail Typha x glauca Typha angustifolia

F-3 Catt ail Hybrid Typha x glauca Narrow-leaved catt ail T. angustifolia R

Perennial, erect wetland plants 5-10’ tall. T. an- Roots: Plants reproduce vegeta- gustifolia and the native, non-invasive T. latifolia tively by means of starchy un- (common or broad-leaved catt ail) hybridize. The derground rhizomes. best way to identify the hybrid is to fi rst learn the characteristics of the parental species then Similar species: The native Typha look for plants that are intermediate. latifolia generally does not have a gap between male and female sections of the infl orescence. Leaves: Erect, linear, base sheathing, blade fl at, ANY OTHER DIFFERENCES? 0.15-0.8” wide, and very long. About 15 leaves Ecological threat: per shoot. Leaf blades are about 0.15-0.5” wide •Invade freshwater marshes, wet meadows, in narrow-leaved catt ail and 0.3-0.8” wide in hy- fens, roadsides, ditches, shallow ponds, stream, brid catt ail. and lake shores, •Play an important role as a source of food and Flowers: Numerous tiny fl owers densely packed shelter for some marsh-dwelling animals, but into a cylindrical spike at end of stem; divided large monospecifi c stands exclude some less into upper section of yellow, male fl owers and common species. lower brown (in hybrid catt ail green in fl ower), Control: sausage-shaped section of female fl owers. Gap •Manual/Mechanical: Maintain water levels between male and female sections is about 0.5-4” at 3-4’ above tops of existing shoots in the in narrow-leaved catt ail and 0-2” in hybrid cat- spring. Cutt ing or shearing one week be- tail. Blooms in late spring. fore until one week aft er staminate spike has emerged. Fruits & seeds: Tiny (about 1 mm), wind dis- •Chemical: Foliar spray 1% imazypr. persed seeds. Hybrid catt ail is highly sterile and produces no or very few seeds. Celandine (Greater celandine) Chelidonium majus L.

F-4 Celandine (Greater celandine) Chelidonium majus L. P/R

Celandine, also called greater celandine, is a Ecological threat: biennial or monocarpic perennial that is 12-32” •Celandine invades moist tall with branched stems. Stems are ribbed and woods, thickets, roadsides, have scatt ered hairs. The plant has a distinct waste areas. yellowish-orange sap. •It is poisonous to most animals and humans. Leaves: Alternate, deeply lobed, pinnately-di- vided, up to 6” long and 3” across. Each com- pound leaf has 5 leafl ets that are green above, pale green underside.

Flowers: Yellow, 4-petaled, small clusters of 3-8 fl owers. Bloom May-August.

Fruits & seeds: A smooth seed pod up to 2” long. As it matures, becomes constricted at intervals. Seeds are oval, fl att ened, and shiny.

Roots: Taproot.

Similar species: Celandine belongs to the poppy Control: family but could be confused as a member of the •Manual/Mechanical: Cut with sharp shovel mustard family which has similar fl owers and 1-2” below soil surface before seeds set. Mow sedpods; however celandine fl owers are larger several times throughout growing season to than mustard fl owers. Another invasive plant, deplete nutrients. lesser celandine (Ranunculus fi caria) has 8-12 pet- •Chemical: Foliar spray with clopyralid. als and its leaves are more rounded. Common Tansy Tanacetum vulgare

F-5 Common Tansy Tanacetum vulgare R

Common tansy is an herbaceous perennial plant shorter (16-23”), has fewer and that grows 2-5’ tall. It is erect and unbranched larger fl owers, and is found only except for the fl ower head. Stems are slightly on a few Great Lakes beaches. hairy, woody and purplish-red near the base. All cultivars except ‘Aureum’ and ‘Compactum’ Ecological threat: are restricted. •Common tansy invades well-drained or sandy soils in roadsides, fi elds, prairies, pastures, and Leaves: Alternate, pinnately compound with other open, disturbed areas. deeply divided, toothed, fern-like leafl ets, 4-10” •It is unpalatable to grazing animals, and con- long and 1.5-3” wide. Leaves are strongly aro- tains alkaloids that are toxic to both livestock matic when crushed. and humans if consumed in large quantities.

Flowers: Bright yellow, butt on-like discs up to 0.5” wide, in a fl at-topped cluster. Bloom July- October.

Fruits & seeds: Seeds are yellowish brown dry fruits with short, fi ve-toothed crowns. Seeds Control: can remain viable in the soil for up to 25 years. •Manual/Mechanical: Can be cut or mowed Seeds are dispersed by wind, water and road- prior to fl owering to prevent seed set. Re- side mowing. moving the dead vegetation with controlled burns can make the plants easier to target Roots: Spreads vegetatively forming new plants with herbicides. from even small root fragments. •Chemical: Foliar spray with metsulfuron- methyl, imazapyr, glyphosate, or 2,4-D in the Similar species: Lake Huron tansy (Tanacetum spring. huronense), a Wisconsin endangered species, is Creeping bellfl ower Campanula rapunculoides

F-6 Creeping bellfl ower Campanula rapunculoides R

Creeping bellfl ower is an herbaceous perennial Ecological threat: that grows 16-40” tall. Its stems are smooth to •Creeping bellfl ower invades slightly hairy. fi elds, stream banks, woodlots, prairies, oak savannas, road- Leaves: Alternate, with longer petioles at base, sides and urban areas. becoming sessile to short-petiolate above; pur- •Brought in as an ornamental, creeping bell- plish; with downward pointing hairs. Leaves fl ower escaped gardens and is now found are slightly serrate, rough on both sides, spade- throughout many Wisconsin counties. shaped, and reduced to bracts in infl orescence. •It creates dense stands through seed produc- tion and rhizomes. Flowers: Blue-purple in color, 5-lobed and bell- shaped. Infl orescence is an unbranched, one- sided raceme that is more than half the length of the plant with nodding fl owers. Bloom June- October.

Fruits & seeds: Each fl ower produces 50-150 seeds.

Roots: Rhizomes with numerous, fl eshy, vertical roots. Control: •Manual/Mechanical: Dig at least 6” deep Similar species: Bluebell (Campanula rotundifolia; and several inches out from the plant to en- native) is a smaller plant, 4-20” tall with similar sure you have gott en all of the roots. blue fl owers that are shorter and on thin stems. •Chemical: Foliar spray with glyphosate or Leaves are stalked with the lower leaves being dicamba. oval and falling off as the plant matures. Crown vetch Securigera varia (Coronilla varia)

F-7 Crown vetch Securigera varia (Coronilla varia) N

Crown vetch is an herbaceous perennial with well as, agricultural lands and long trailing stems that grow 2-6’ long. It forms roadsides. dense colonies. In winter and early spring, •It prefers open, sunny areas crown vetch can be easily recognized as large, and can withstand periods of brown patches. drought. •Crown vetch alters native ecosystems through Leaves: Pinnately compound, alternate, 2-6” nitrogen fi xation, creates increased fuel loads long, with 11-25 elliptical leafl ets occurring in for fi res, and climbs over and shades out native an odd number. plants.

Flowers: Pea-like, ranging in color from pinkish- lavender to white. Flowers are clustered in fl at- topped umbels of 14-20 fl owers that grow on long stalks extending from the leaf axils. Bloom mid-spring through mid-summer.

Fruits & seeds: Long, slender, pointed seed pods contain 3-7 narrow seeds each. Seeds remain vi- able in the soil for up to 15 years. Control: Roots: Reproduces vegetatively by fl eshy rhi- •Manual/Mechanical: Burn in late spring. zomes that grow up to 10’ long. Roots are not Burns may need to be repeated for several fi brous, limiting the utility of crown vetch for years. erosion control. •Chemical: Foliar spray with metsulfuron- methyl, aminopyralid, clopyralid, gly- Ecological threat: phosate, or triclopyr. •Crown vetch invades grasslands and dunes, as Dame’s rocket Hesperis matronalis

F-8 Dame’s rocket Hesperis matronalis R

Dame’s rocket is a showy, short-lived perennial Ecological threat: or biennial. First-year leaves form a basal rosett e •Dame’s rocket invades moist that overwinters. Flowering stalks emerge in and mesic woodlands, wood- spring and grow 3-4’ tall. land edges, roadsides, and open areas. Leaves: Lance-shaped, fi nely toothed, alternate, •It is planted as an ornamental and is oft en and sessile or with a very short petiole. Decrease found in “wildfl ower” seed mixes. It quickly es- in size as they ascend the stem. Fine hairs on capes cultivation because of its prolifi c seed set. leaves and stems. Distinct light green midrib.

Flowers: Large, loose, rounded infl orescences of white, pink, or purple 4-petaled fl owers. Fragrant, especially at night. Bloom late spring through summer.

Fruits & seeds: Adundant; produced in narrow Control: siliques up to 5” long that break apart length- •Manual/Mechanical: Pull plants in early wise at maturity releasing the seeds. Seeds are spring; fl owering plants should be bagged also eaten and dispersed by ground-foraging and disposed of in a landfi ll. Burn infested birds. areas when plants are in seedling or rosett e stage. Similar species: Garden phlox (Phlox paniculta) •Chemical: Foliar spray with glyphosate, im- has opposite leaves that are not toothed, and azapic, or triclopyr in late fall or very early fl owers with fi ve petals, not four. spring when native plants are dormant but the basal rosett es of dames rocket are still green. European marsh thistle Cirsium palustre

F-9 European marsh thistle Cirsium palustre P/R

Much of this herbaceous biennial or monocarpic sharply spined leaves, stems perennial is covered in long, sticky hairs. Flow- and fl ower heads. ering stems are 4-5’ tall, erect, thick, sometimes reddish in color, branched at the top and bris- Ecological threat: tling with spiny wings aligned with the stem. •European marsh thistle invades roadsides, old fi elds, wetlands, forest edges, Leaves: First-year rosett e leaves are spiny, long, beaches, and dunes. deeply lobed and hairy on the underside. On •Once introduced, this plant can aggressively fl owering plants, leaves are 6-8” long near the colonize natural areas, decrease biodiversity and base and shorter toward the top. compromise the ecological integrity of an area. •Spontaneous hybrids between European marsh Flowers: Many fl owers in clusters of 12 or more thistle and Canada thistle have been reported. spiny purple fl ower heads; bracts have spineless tips. Bloom June-July.

Fruits & seeds: Seeds are small, hard and elon- Control: gated with a tuft of feathery bristles at the top. •Manual/Mechanical: Hand-pull or dig ro- Dispersed by wind. sett es. Repeated pulling and mowing (mini- mum 3 times per growing season) will weak- Roots: Fibrous. en second year plants; mow when fl ower buds are just about to open. Similar species: Native marsh thistle (Cirsium •Chemical: Foliar spray with glyphosate dur- muticum), occurs in similar habitats but has non- ing the early bolting phase when plants are spiny stems and fl ower heads. Canada thistle 6-10” tall, during the bud to fl ower phase, or (Cirsium arvense) has spiny leaves but non-spiny applied to rosett es in the fall. With clopyralid fl ower heads. Bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare) and or aminopyralid. plumeless thistle (Carduus acanthoides) have Garlic mustard Alliaria petiolata

F-10 Garlic mustard Alliaria petiolata R

Garlic mustard is an herbaceous biennial. First- lets (Viola) and the non-native year plants form a basal rosett e that remains creeping Charlie (Glechoma green through the winter. Second-year plants hederaea) may be mistaken for grow up to 4’ tall and produce one to several fi rst year garlic mustard plants, fl owering stems. but have no garlic odor when crushed. Leaves: Basal leaves are dark green, heart or kid- ney-shaped, with scalloped-edge and wrinkled Ecological threat: appearance. Stem leaves are alternate, triangu- •Garlic mustard invades high-quality forests lar, with large teeth, and up to 2” across. Leaves and savannas, as well as, disturbed areas. It has and stems smell like garlic when crushed. been found in full sun, but prefers shade. •Native herbaceous cover declines at sites in- Flowers: Small, white, 4-petaled, and abundant. vaded by garlic mustard, in part because it ex- Bloom throughout the spring. udes a chemical that disrupts mycorrhizal fungi associations with native plants. Fruits & seeds: Mature siliques are 1-2.5” long, Control: dry, pale brown, and hold small shiny black •Manual/Mechanical: Hand pull prior to seeds. see set. Cut plants at their base just aft er the fl ower stalks have elongated but before any Roots: White, slender taproot, “S”-shaped at the fl owers have opened; may have to cut more top. Will resprout from the root crown if only than once during a growing season. Burn in the top of the plant is removed. fall or early spring. •Chemical: Foliar spray with triclopyr, gly- Similar species: Several native white fl owered phosate, sulfometuron methyl, imazapic, or plants, toothworts (Dentaria) and sweet cicely 2-4, D in early spring or late fall when native (Osmorhiza claytonii), bloom at about the same plants are dormant. time as garlic mustard. The leaves of native vio- Giant hogweed Heracleum mantegazzianum

F-11 Giant hogweed Heracleum mantegazzianum P

Giant hogweed is a tall (8-20’), herbaceous, bien- CAUTION: When sap contacts nial or monocarpic perrenial. The large hollow skin in the presence of sun- stem (2-4” wide) is covered with bristles and light, it can cause severe rash- marked with purple blothes. es, blisters, and discoloration of the skin (phytophotodermati- Leaves: Compound, 1-5’ wide, deeply palmate tis). Wear gloves, long sleeves, and long pants and pointed. Undersides of leaves are covered when handling. in coarse white hairs. Ecological threat: Flowers: Large umbels, up to 2.5’ wide, have •Giant hogweed invades roadsides, empty many white, 5-petal fl owers that bloom from lots, wetlands and woodland edges. Due to fast May-July. growth rates and large size, it can crowd out na- tive vegetation. Fruits & seeds: Fruits are 2 winged, dry, each •It prefers moist areas with some shade, par- contain 1 fl att ened, elliptical seed. Plants pro- ticularly along stream banks, where it can lead duce approximately 20,000 seeds. to soil erosion and can disperse seeds down- stream. Roots: Large, deep taproot. Control: Similar species: There are several white fl ower- •Manual/Mechanical: Small populations can ing natives: American cow parsnip (Heracleum be hand-dug; sever the tap root a few inches lanatum) is 3-7’ tall with non-mott led fl ower below the soil and remove and carefully dis- stems and pinately divided leaves; great an- pose of fl owering tops. gelica (Angelica atropurpurea) is 2-8’ tall with a •Chemical: Foliar spray or cut-stump treat purplish stem, spherical umbel and pinnately with glyphosate, triclopyr, or metsulfuron- divided leaves; glade mallow (Napaea dioica) is methyl. 3-6’ tall with round but deeply, 5-9 lobed leaves. Japanese hedge-parsley Torilis japonica Spreading hedge-parsley Torilis arvensisjaponica

F-12 Japanese hedge-parsley Torilis japonica Spreading hedge-parsley Torilis arvensisjaponica P/R

The hedge-parsleys are herbaceous, biennials in hemlock (Conium maculatum) the carrot family. First-year plants are low, pars- is taller, up to 9.5’, and its ridged ley-like rosett es that stay green until late fall. stems have purple mott ling. Flowering plants are 2-6’ tall with erect, ridged, branched stems. Ecological threat: •Hedge-parsleys invade forests, grasslands, Leaves: Leaves are alternate, compound with hedgerows, roadsides, and urban areas. pinnately divided, toothed leafl ets, 2-5” long •Currently, only Japanese hedge-parsley is and slightly hairy. known in Wisconsin. •Pets, such as dogs, and other animals appear Flowers: Flowers are tiny, white and grow to be spreading Japanese hedge-parsley quickly in small, loose, fl at-topped umbels. Japanese throughout the state. hedge-parsley has 2 or more pointed bracts at the base of each umbel; spreading hedge-pars- ley does not. Bloom July-August.

Fruits & seeds: Small seeds are covered in hooked hairs that att ach to clothing and fur.

Roots: Taproot.

Similar species: Wild Carrot (Daucus carota) Control: has bracts at the base of each umbel like Japa- •Pull, cut or mow prior to fl owering. nese hedge-parsley, but it smells like carrots •Treat foliage with glyphosate, triclopyr, when crushed and oft en has a purple fl ower in or metsulfron methyl in early spring or on the center of the umbel. Wild chervil (Anthris- plants that are resprouting aft er having been cus sylvestris) has more fern-like leaves. Poison cut. Hemp nett le Galeopsis tetrahit

F-13 Hemp nett le Galeopsis tetrahit R

Hemp nett le is an herbaceous annual that grows stands. 1-3’ tall. Stems are square, swollen at leaf nodes, •Hemp nett le is considered an and covered with coarse, downward pointing agricultural weed. It is avoided hairs intermixed with shorter glandular hairs. by most grazers and is the host for potato fungus and several Leaves: Opposite, stalked, ovate, coarsely nematodes. toothed, and hairy on both sides. True shape can be variable.

Flowers: Purplish pink to white fl owers, snap- dragon-like, in dense axillary clusters. Flowers variable in size. Calyx is armed with 5 sharp points. Bloom from June-September.

Fruits & seeds: Each fl ower produces 4 nutlets each containing one seed.

Roots: Taproot with lateral roots

CAUTION: Wear long sleeves and gloves when handling. Bristly shairs on stem can ir- ritate skin in some people. Control: •Manual/Mechanical: Dig up or hand pull Ecological threat: when in fl ower bud stage. Dispose of in land- •Hemp nett le invades roadsides, open woods, fi ll since seeds can still mature aft er removal. forests, pastures, and fi elds. It generally prefers •Chemical: Foliar spray with Dicamba. disturbed sites where it creates monospecifi c Hill mustard Bunias orientalis

F-14 Hill mustard Bunias orientalis P/R

Hill mustard is an herbaceous biennial that can are hairless and do not have act as a perennial in Wisconsin. It grows 1-4’ tall. pointed lobes, and stems are Small warty bumps on the stem help to distin- not warty. Additionally, yellow guish this mustard; another common name for rocket fruits are a narrow pod. this plant is warty cabbage. Both stems and leaves are somewhat hairy. Ecological impact: •Hill mustard invades grasslands, fi elds, and Leaves: Leaves are lance-shaped, highly lobed pastures. with sharp points and covered with hairs; leaves •It can get into high quality areas and create sometimes have warty texture as well. Basal monospecifi c stands. leaves can be 12” or longer and become smaller as they move up the stem.

Flowers: Yellow fl owers with 4 petals are in dense clusters and are very fragrant. Blooms late spring

Fruits & seeds: Oval or tear-shaped fruits are covered with warty bumps and contain 2-4 seeds. Control: •Manual/Mechanical: Use tillage to dislodge Roots: Taproot at least 1” wide, generally in root system. When fl owers fi rst appear, mow cluster of roots. Extremely diffi cult to pull or dig as close as possible to ground to halt seed roots out. production. •Chemical: Foliar spray with metsulfuron- Similar species: Hill mustard resembles yellow methyl, glyphosate, or 2, 4-D. rocket. However, yellow rocket is shorter, leaves Hound’s tongue Cynoglossum offi cinale

F-15 Hound’s tongue Cynoglossum offi cinale R

Hounds tongue is an herbaceous biennial, 1-4’ icity as it matures, yet it can still tall, with a single stem that branches above. be toxic to horses and catt le.

Leaves: Elliptical, alternate leaves are dark green and hairy. In the rosett e stage, leaves are 6-8” long. In the second year, basal leaves are up to 12” long and decrease in size as they progress up the stem.

Flowers: Up to 0.3” wide, reddish-purple, 5-pet- aled and saucer to funnel-shaped. Arranged in raceme-like clusters in the upper leaf axils. The mature stalks widely curving. Bloom June-July.

Fruits & seeds: Each fl ower produces 4 nutlets, or small nuts, that are covered in barbs. Barbs easily att ach to clothes, wool and hair. Most of the seed overwinters in the soil, although some may remain att ached to the parent plant and stay viable for 2-3 years. Control: •Manual/Mechanical: Mow second year Roots: Large, woody taproot plants while in fl owering stage before seed production. Use sharp shovel to cut 1-2” bel- Ecological threat: low soil surface. •Hounds tongue invades pastures, grasslands, •Chemical: Foliar spray rosett es in spring us- roadsides, riparian areas and woodland edges. ing dicamba or metsulfuron-methyl. •Alkaloids present in the plant decrease in tox- Giant knotweed P. sachalinense (F. sachalinense) Japanese knotweed Polygonum cuspidatum (Fallopia japonica)

F-16 Giant knotweed P. sachalinense (F. sachalinense) Japanese knotweed Polygonum cuspidatum (Fallopia japonica) R

Giant knotweed and Japanese knotweed are her- Roots: Grow up to 6’ deep. Ro- baceous perennials that can reach 9’ and form bust rhizomes create a dense large colonies. Semi-woody stems are erect and impenetrable mat. hollow with distinct raised nodes (resembling bamboo canes). They are similar in appearance Ecological threat: and are known to hybridize. Japanese knotweed •Both knotweeds pose a signifi cant threat to ri- is more widespread and abundant than giant parian areas where they prevent streamside tree knotweed, of which, less information is known. regeneration. •They can be transported to new sites as a con- Leaves: Alternate, simple, narrow to a point- taminant in fi ll dirt or on equipment. ed tip, dark green. Japanese knotweed leaves •They can break through pavement and build- are 4-6” long and have a squared-off base. Gi- ing foundations. ant knotweed leaves are 6-14” long and have a heart-shaped base. Control: Flowers: Numerous small, greenish-white fl ow- •Manual/Mechanical: Hand pull young ers produced in upright racemes. Giant knot- plants; dispose of in landfi ll. It is possible to weed blooms have both male and female parts eradicate small patches with repeated and in the same fl ower while Japanese knotweed persistent cutt ing of the entire patch many bears only male or female fl owers on a given times per year over several years. plant. Bloom late summer. •Chemical: Plants are more susceptible to herbicides if they are cut when 4-5’ tall and Fruits & seeds: Small (0.16”), shiny, black, dry, the regrowth treated around 3’ tall. Foliar 3-angled fruit enclosed in a winged calyx that spray with aminopyralid, imazapyr, gly- makes the seed buoyant. Seeds have no dorman- phosate, or triclopyr. Cut-stump treat with cy requirement and germinate readily. glyphosate or triclopyr. Poison hemlock Conium maculatum

F-17 Poison hemlock Conium maculatum P/R

Poison hemlock is a biennial herb that grows tive) has leaf veins that end in 3-10’ tall. The hairless, ridged stems branch ex- the notches between the tooth tensively and are hollow except at the nodes. margins of the leafl ets. Giant Reddish-purple mott ling is common on the hogweed (Heracleum mantegaz- lower stem. zianum) has a hairy stem and larger, less divided leaves. Leaves: Fern-like, pinnately compound, toothed, 8-16” long and broadly triangular. Leaf veins CAUTION: All parts of the plant are toxic to end at the tips of the tooth margins. Leaves are animals and humans if ingested. shiny, green, and emit an unpleasant odor when crushed. Ecological threat: •Poison hemlock invades roadsides, pastures, Flowers: Numerous, small, 5-petaled white prairies, stream banks, riparian woodlands and fl owers in umbels 4-6” across; umbels appear fl oodplains. on individual stems that extend from a common •It can quickly colonize disturbed sites. stalk. Bloom May-August.

Fruits & seeds: Seeds are ridged and fl at. A sin- gle plant produces over 30,000 seeds.

Roots: Fleshy, thick, white, taproot. Can be mis- Control: taken for parsnip. •Manual/Mechanical: Hand pull or mow close to the ground prior to seed set multiple Similar species: Can be mistaken for edible times per year for several years. members of the carrot family--fennel, parsley, •Chemical: Foliar spray with 2, 4-D or dicam- carrot, but poison hemlock lacks hairs on stems ba before buds are present. and leaves. Water hemlock (Cicuta maculata; na- Purple loosestrife Lythrum salicaria

F-18 Purple loosestrife Lythrum salicaria R Purple loosestrife is a wetland perennial that grows 3-7’ tall on 4 to 6-sided, somewhat woody Ecological threat: stems. •Purple loosestrife invades many types of wetlands includ- Leaves: Leaves are downy, with smooth edges. ing, wet meadows, marshes, river Arranged along the stem in pairs, each pair at and stream banks, ponds, and lake edges and right angles to the next pair above or below; oc- ditches. casionally appear in groups of three. •Once established it can quickly form dense stands that displace other emergent wetland Flowers: Individual fl owers have 5-7 pink-pur- species; loosestrife plants get larger and more ple petals surrounding small, yellow centers; ar- bush-like each year. ranged on spikes.

Fruits & seeds: Each plant can produce up to 2.7 million seeds annually and these may lay dor- mant for several years before germinating. Control: •Manual/Mechanical: Cut and remove fl ow- Roots: A large woody taproot with extensive ering spikes to prevent seed production for rhizomes can send out up to 30 to 50 shoots. that year; plants will resprout. •Chemical: Foliar spray with triclopyr, im- Similar species: Northern willow-herb (Epi- azapyr, or aquatic approved glyphosate in lobium ciliatum; native) and hairy willow-herb the fall when the plant is reaching dormancy. (Epilobium hirsutum; non-native) are annuals For smaller populations cut-stump treat with that resemble purple loosestrife but can be dis- aquatic approved glyphosate. tinguished from it by round stems and smaller •Biological: Biological control for this species 4-petaled pink fl owers. Hairy willow-herb is is an option. See Appendix C. also covered by long spreading hairs. Spott ed knapweed Centaurea stoebe (C. maculosa and C. biebersteinii)

F-19 Spott ed knapweed Centaurea stoebe (C. maculosa and C. biebersteinii) R Spott ed knapweed is an herbaceous, short-lived are aggressive in Wisconsin. perennial that grows 2-4’ tall. It persists as a rosett e for 1-4 years before bolting. Flowering CAUTION: Wear long sleeves plants have 1-6 stems, but some have up to 20. and gloves when handling. Spott ed knapweed exposure Leaves: Gray-green, covered in rough hairs, can irritate skin. and deeply divided. Rosett e leaves grow up to 6” long. Stem leaves alternate, with lower stem Ecological threat: leaves resembling rosett e leaves, becoming •Spott ed knapweed invades dry areas, includ- small (1-3” long), entire, and linear higher up ing prairie, oak and pine barrens, dunes, sandy the stem. ridges and roadsides. •The roots exude allelopathic chemicals. Flowers: Thistle-like, pink-purple fl ower heads, •It is not palatable as a forage plant and is rarely white. Flower heads have stiff bracts avoided by both livestock and native grazers. tipped with black, fringed hairs. Bloom mid- •Infestations cause increased runoff and sedi- summer to early fall. mentation and decreased water-holding capac- ity in soil. Fruits & seeds: Wind-dispersed for short dis- tances but carried long distances by humans, Control: livestock, or rodents. •Manual/Mechanical: Small infestations can be repeatedly hand pulled making sure to re- Roots: Strong taproot. Some plants produce move entire root. a shallow mat of fi brous roots extending from •Chemical: Foliar spray with aminopyralid, plant for several feet. Some sprouting from lat- clopyralid, glyphosate, or 2,4-D ester during eral roots occurs. bolting or fl ower bud stage. •Biological: Biological control for this species Similar species: There are many Centaureas; all is an option. See Appendix C. Cypress spurge E. cyparissias Leafy spurge Euphorbia esula

Leafy spurge Euphorbia esula

Leafy spurge Euphorbia esula

Cypress spurge Euphorbia cyparissias

F-20 Cypress spurge E. cyparissias Leafy spurge Euphorbia esula R

Both spurges are herbaceous perennials with rise to new plants. deep root systems and milky sap in stems, fl ow- ers, and leaves. The sap is distasteful to some Ecological threat: animals and can cause blistering on their mouths •Both invade open areas, in- or throats. Leafy spurge grows 0.5-3’ tall; cypress cluding prairies, savannas, and spurge can reach 1’. Leafy spurge is legally classi- roadsides. They can quickly create monocultures, fi ed as a noxious weed in Wisconsin. excluding native vegetation and reducing wild- life habitat value. Leaves: Leafy spurge leaves are simple, linear, al- •They are tolerant of a wide range of habitats, ternate, bluish-green, smooth, and hairless with from dry to moist and sunny to semi-shade. They pointed tips. Cypress spurge leaves are alternate are most aggressive in areas where soil moisture or whorled, numerous, 1” long, more narrow is limited. than leafy spurge and bright green. •Leafy spurge is more widespread and aggres- sive than cypress spurge in Wisconsin. Flowers: Small, yellowish-green, and surrounded by cup-shaped bracts. Flowers are paired, with 7-10 pairs clustered in umbels at tops of stems. Bloom late spring through mid-summer. Control: Fruit & seeds: Reproduces readily from seed. •Manual/Mechanical: Hand pulling or dig- Mature capsules disperse seeds explosively, ex- ging is only eff ective if the entire root system pelling seeds up to 20’ away. is removed, which is diffi cult to do. •Chemical: Foliar spray with aminopyralid Roots: Woody rhizomes grow to depths of 15’ or imazapic. and spread laterally up to 35’. Sprouts from root •Biological: Biological control for this species buds facilitate spread into undisturbed areas. is an option. See Appendix C. Root fragments as deep as 9’ in the soil can give White sweetclover Melilotus alba Yellow sweetclover M. offi cinalis

F-21 White sweetclover Melilotus alba Yellow sweetclover M. offi cinalis N

White and yellow sweetclover are herbaceous Ecological threat: biennials. They appear similar except for their •Both sweetclovers invade distinguishing yellow or white fl owers. Yellow prairies, savannas, dunes, road- sweet clover is usually shorter than white sweet sides, and old fi elds. clover. First-year plants do not bloom. Second- •Fire stimulates germination of year plants grow 3-5’ tall and can be bush-like. sweet clover seeds and can exacerbate invasions. •Increases nitrogen in soil which may increase Leaves: Leaves are alternate, compound, with 3 other weeds in prairies. fi nely-toothed leafl ets; the middle leafl et grows on a short but distinct stalk. Sweetclover leaves are longer and thinner than other clovers.

Flowers: Flowers are small, fi ve-parted, pea- like, frangrant, and white (M. alba) or yellow (M. offi cinalis); they are clustered in dense racemes in the top 4” of the stem. Second-year plants bloom Control: late spring through summer. •Manual/Mechanical: Hand pull small pop- ulations before seed set. Use brush-cutt er for Fruits & seeds: Each fl ower produces 1 or 2 large populations. Late fall burn to stimulate small seeds which remain viable in the soil for germination followed by a late spring burn up to 30 years. next season to eliminate second year plants before seed set. Roots: Strong taproot and extensive lateral •Chemical: Foliar spray seedlings with di- roots. camba, sulfometuron methyl, clopyralid, aminopyralid, metsulfuron-methyl, 2, 4-D in early spring. Common teasel Dipsacus fullonum (D. sylvestris) Cut-leaved teasel D. laciniatus

Common teasel Cut-leaved teasel Dipsacus fullonum Dipsacus laciniatus

F-22 Common teasel Dipsacus fullonum (D. sylvestris) Cut-leaved teasel D. laciniatus R

Teasels are herbaceous, monocarpic perennials. Ecological threat: They grows as a basal rosett e for at least one •Both teasels invade open areas, year; then form a prickly, angled fl ower stalk, including prairies, savannas, 2-6’ tall, typically in the second or third year. sedge meadows, roadsides and disturbed areas. Leaves: Opposite, large (up to 1.5’ long), oblong, •Rapid range expansion of cut-leaved teasel has and prickly. Leaves of fl owering plants join into been observed in several Midwestern states, es- a cup around the stem. Common teasel’s leaves pecially along roadsides. are not lobed. Leaves of cut-leaved teasel are broader and have deep, feathering lobes.

Flowers: Hundreds of small fl owers, clustered in dense, egg-shaped heads. Stiff , spiny, bracts curve up from base of fl ower head. Common teasel has purple fl owers and bracts longer than the fl ower heads. Cut-leaved teasel has white Control: fl owers and bracts shorter than the fl ower heads. •Manual/Mechanical: Rosett es can be dug Common teasel blooms from June-October and up making sure to remove as much of the cut-leaved teasel blooms from July-September. root as possible. Mature plants can be cut in full bud stage; plant will re-sprout but will Fruits & seeds: Each plant can produce as many not fl ower. Bag and dispose of stems. Late as 2,000 seeds. Seeds remain viable in the soil for spring burns. at least 2 years. •Chemical: Foliar spray with triclopyr, clopyralid, aminopyralid, or metsulfuron- Roots: Deep taproot, up to 2’ long and 1” in di- methyl before plant has bolted. Foliar spray ameter. rosett es in fall with glyphosate. Bull thistle Cirsium vulgare Musk thistle (nodding thistle) Carduus nutans Plumeless thistle Carduus acanthoides

Musk thistle

Plumeless thistle

Bull thistle

Typical thistle rossete

F-23 Bull thistle Cirsium vulgare Musk thistle (nodding thistle) Carduus nutans Plumeless thistle Carduus acanthoides R

All are herbaceous biennials. Flowering plants Ecological threat: are 1-7’ tall. Stems on all three appear spiny •All invade open areas, such winged. as, prairies, old fi elds, pastures, roadsides and ditches. Leaves: Alternate, coarsely lobed with promi- nent terminal spine; slightly wavy, white mar- gins. Musk--smooth and hairless on both sides. Plumeless--smooth above, hairy below. Bull-- spiny above, white wooly hair below.

Flowers: Brush-like, pink-purple, single or clus- tered at end of stem. Musk--1.5-3”, solitary, usu- Control: ally bent over or “nodding” on smooth stalk. •Manual/Mechanical: Sever root 1-2” below Plumeless and bull--(0.5-1”) and (1.5-2”) respec- the soil surface. Repeated mowing (mini- tively, on winged stem; bracts with spiny tips. mum 2-3 times per growing season) when All bloom May through August. fl ower buds are about to open will prevent seed production. Fruits & seeds: Wind-dispersed. Musk and plu- •Chemical: Applications are most eff ective meless thistles hybridize. when plants are in the rosett e stage. Foliar spray with aminopyralid, clopyralid, met- Roots: Taproot. sulfuron-methyl, or triclopyr. Foliar spray with glyphosate in the rosett e stage, during Similar species: Native marsh thistle (Cirsium bolting phase when plants are 6-10” tall, or muticum) and Canada thistle (C. arvense) have during the bud to fl ower phase. Foliar spray non-spiny stems and fl ower heads. European musk thistle with 2,4-D ester or dicamba in marsh thistle (C. palustre) has spiny winged early bolting phase. stems and is covered with long, sticky hairs. Wild chervil Anhtriscus sylvestris (Chaerophyllum sylvestre)

F-24 Wild chervil Anhtriscus sylvestris (Chaerophyllum sylvestre) P/R

Wild chervil is an herbaceous, monocarpic pe- Ecological threat: rennial that has grooved, hollow stems covered •Wild chervil invades open in soft hairs. It grows 3-6’ tall. woods, roadsides and pastures where it can shade out sur- Leaves: Alternate, fern-like leafl ets are nearly rounding vegetation. hairless with base clasping the stem. •It is a host to parsnip yellow fl eck virus which infects carrots, celery and parsnips. Flowers: Umbels of small, 5-petaled, white fl ow- ers. Bloom late May-early July.

Fruits & seeds: Brown, long (0.25”), ribbed seeds with antennae like tips; spread via water, birds, and human activity.

Roots: Thick taproot with lateral buds can be up to 6’ deep.

Similar species: Wild Carrot (Daucus carota) Control: has bracts at the base of each umbel and oft en •Manual/Mechanical: Hand pull or dig up has a purple fl ower in the center of the umbel. rosett es or small plants ensuring to remove Japanese and spreading hedge parsley (Torilis entire root. Repeated mowing throughout japonica and T. arvensis) are more freely branch- growing season will deplete root reserves ing; their leaves are sparser, and their seeds are and prevent seed set. smaller. Poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) is •Chemical: Foliar spray before blooming and taller, up to 9.5’, and has stems that are ridged one month aft er a pre-bloom cut with gly- and have purple mott ling. phosate, dicamba, clopyralid or imazapyr. Wild parsnip Pastinaca sativa

F-25 Wild parsnip Pastinaca sativa R

Wild parsnip is an herbaceous, monocarpic pe- es, blisters, and discoloration rennial. It grows as a rosett e with upright leaves, of the skin (phytophotoder- for at least 1 year. Flowering stems are stout, hol- matitis). Wear gloves, long low, grooved, and up to 5’ tall. The garden veg- sleeves, and long pants when etable form is not restricted. handling.

Leaves: Rosett e leaves are pinnately compound Ecological threat: with 5-15 broad, ovate to oblong leafl ets. Stem •Wild parsnip invades prairies, oak savannas, leaves are alternate, with 2-5 pairs of opposite, and fens, as well as roadsides, old fi elds, and sharply toothed leafl ets. Petioles wrap around pastures. the stem. Upper stem leaves are reduced to nar- •It has a broad habitat tolerance, growing in dry, row bracts. mesic, or wet habitats, but it does not grow in shaded areas. Flowers: Numerous, small, 5-petaled, yellow fl owers in umbels 2-6” wide at the tops of stems and branches. Bloom from late spring to early summer. Control: Fruits & seeds: Yellowish, oval, 0.25” long, •Manual/Mechanical: Cut root at an angle smooth on one side with four curved “ribs” on 1-2” below soil surface. A brush-cutt er can the other. Seeds remain viable in the soil for 4 also be used for large populations before years. seeds develop. Remove fl owering heads and dispose of in landfi ll or by burning. Roots: Long, thick taproot. •Chemical: Foliar spray with metsulfuron- methyl mid-May to mid-June, glyphosate, or CAUTION: When sap contacts skin in the 2,4-D. presence of sunlight, it can cause severe rash- Yellow star thistle Centaurea solstitialis

Yellow star thistle Centaurea solstitialis

F-26 Yellow star thistle Centaurea solstitialis P

Yellow star thistle is a multi-stemmed herba- lands, roadsides, and open ceous annual that grows 1.5-3’ tall. Stems are woodlands. upright, stiff , winged, and branched. Stems are •It is toxic to horses and may covered with tangled, matt ed hairs which give cause mechanical injury to graz- the plant a gray-green appearance. ing animals, as well as, decrease wildlife habitat quality. Leaves: Deeply, pinnately lobed basal leaves •It can also deter human activities with its spiny (2-3” long) form a rosett e. Stem leaves att ach fl ower heads. directly to the stem by a wing that runs down the side of the stem; stem leaves are 0.4-4” long, entire, linear or tapered at both ends with the broadest part below the middle.

Flowers: Flowers are bright yellow and have sharp spines that protrude from the surround- ing base. Bloom June-October.

Fruits & seeds: Produces both tuft ed and non- tuft ed dry fruit. Control: •Manual/Mechanical: Pull, hoe, or mow be- Roots: Taproot. fore bloom. •Chemical: Foliar spray with clopyralid, CAUTION: Wear gloves when handling to aminopyralid, dicamba, glyphosate, or tric- protect hands from sharp spines. lopyr. •Biological: Biological control for this species Ecological threat: is an option. See Appendix C. •Yellow star thistle invades pastures, grass- Japanese stiltgrass (Nepalese browntop) Microstegium vimineum

G-1 Japanese stiltgrass (Nepalese browntop) Microstegium vimineum P

Japanese stilt grass is an annual grass with a them and the fl owers appear spreading habit that can grow up to 3’ tall and pink and bead-like. form large colonies. It has a branched stalk that resembles weak bamboo. Ecological threat: •Japanese stilt grass adapts read- Leaves: Leaves are narrow and lance shaped ily to both high and low light conditions from and up to 3 inches long. They have a silvery moist to relatively dry soils. stripe of refl ective hairs down the middle of the •It primarily invades streamsides, fl oodplains upper surface. and woodland edges, then expands into forests. •It has been shown to change the pH of the soil Flowers: Slender stalks of tiny fl owers can arise as well as the organic soil and litt er ratios. singly or in sets of 2-3 and appear in late sum- mer.

Fruits & seeds: Dry fruits can vary from yellow to red in color. Each plant can produce as many as 1,000 fruits/seeds which can remain viable in the soil for at least fi ve years. Control: Roots: Spreads vegetatively during the growing •Manual/Mechanical: Hand pull small pop- season by rooting at nodes along the stem. ulations before seed set. Use brush-cutt er for large populations. Similar species: Native white grass (Leersia •Chemical: Slow, thorough foliar spray with virginica) appears similar, however, it lacks the sethoxydim, glyphosate, or an herbicidal refl ective silver strip. Spott ed lady’s thumb soap such as pelargonic acid. Imazapic can (Polygonum persicaria) can form masses of grass- be applied pre- or post-emergence. like plants, but the leaves have a dark blotch on Phragmites (Common reed) Phragmites australis

G-2 Phragmites (Common reed) Phragmites australis R

Phragmites is a perennial wetland grass that sheaths typically adhere tightly grows 3-20’ tall with dull, rigid hollow stems. to dead stems. It creates dense clones. Canes persist througout winter. The native type is not restricted. Ecological threat: •Phragmites invades moist Leaves: Smooth, narrow, 6- 24” long, 0.4-2.4” habitats including lake shores, river banks and wide and gray-green in color. Leaf bases form roadways. It’s common in disturbed areas and overlapping smooth sheaths around the stems. can tolerate brackish waters, dry conditions and alkaline to acidic conditions. Flowers: Large feathery panicles, 5-16” long; •Once it invades a site, it can quickly form purple-brown, turning golden brown with age. monospecifi c stands, excluding native plants, Bloom July-September. changing hydrology, altering wildlife habitat; and increaseing fi re potential. Fruits & seeds: Produces thousands of seeds an- nually, but viability is typically low.

Roots: Dense network of roots and rhizomes, up to 6’ deep. Rhizomes can grow over 10’ per year spreading above and below ground. Control: •Manual/Mechanical: Repeated mowing Similar species: The native subspecies of phrag- (where possible) several times per year can mites (Phragmites australis ssp. americanus) has decrease stand density. Mowing or burning smooth reddish brown canes with shiny black aft er a chemical application can be used for spots; canes are fl exible. The infl orescence is less additional control and maintenance. dense, as are the stands. Both the leaves and leaf •Chemical: Foliar spray or bundle, cut and sheaths are loose and usually drop as the plant treat with imazamox or imazapyr from June- senesces. In the introduced phragmites the leaf September. Reed canary grass Phalaris arundinacea

G-3 Reed canary grass Phalaris arundinacea N

Reed canary grass is a perennial, sod-forming, not have a transparent ligule. cool-season grass with erect, hairless stems that grow 2-6’ tall. Ecological threat: •Reed canary grass dominates Leaves: Blades are fl at, rough textured on both a signifi cant number of wetlands surfaces, gradually tapering from base to tip, 4-8” in the Midwest and also spreads into forests and long and 0.5” wide. The ligule is unusually large upland grasslands. (0.5”) and transparent. •It forms dense persistent monospecifi c stands which out-compete desireable vegetation and are Flowers: Flower heads (3-6” long); green to purple of litt le use to wildlife. when in bloom, changing to golden tan as seeds form; fl ower branches spread open when in bloom Control: but draw close to stem at maturity. Bloom May to •Manual/Mechanical: Small patches may be mid-June. hand pulled, dug or covered with black plastic for at least one growing season. Close mowing Fruits & seeds: Ripen in late June. Seeds can ger- 3 times per year can retard growth and prevent minate immediately at maturation. Dispersed via seed set. Burn in late spring or late fall for 5 to water, animals, and human activity. 6 years. Soil can also be tilled repeatedly for at least one growing season or the 8-18” of sod can Roots: Rhizomes with large numbers of dormant be removed. A combination of these methods buds create a thick fi brous mat at or just below the over several years may be necessary to fully soil surface. eliminate a stand. •Chemical: Foliar spray with sethoxydim, Similar species: Reed canary resembles orchard clethodim, glyphosate, sulfometuron methyl, grass (Dactylis glomerata) but orchard grass leaves or imazapic. Bundle, cut and treat with gly- are not as wide. It also resembles native bluejoint phosate. grass (Calamagrostis canadensis) but bluejoint does Appendix A Hairy willowherb Appendix A-RemainingNR40Species Helleborine orchid Epilobium hirsutum Epipactis helleborine 1 P/R R Appendix A Lyme grass Kudzu Pueraria lobata Leymus arenarius a P/R P/R Appendix A Perennial pepperweed Mile-a-minute vine Polygonum perfoliatum Lepidium latifolium b P P Appendix A Princess tree Porcelain berry Paulownia tomentosa Ampelopsis brevipenduculata c P P Appendix A Sawtooth oak Scotch broom Quercus acutissima Cytisus scoparius d P P Appendix A Sericea lespedeza Tall manna grass Glyceria maxima Lespedeza cuneata e P/R P Appendix A Wineberry Rubus phoenicolasius f P Appendix B Appendix B munities wherethereisenough fueltocarry a Burning - Appropriate for intensive. invasive plants canbecomelaborandresource However, cu with herbicidetreatmentscanbe most e safety orequipmentissues.When combined large infestationswhereterraindoes notcreate tilling, mowing,andchopping.Most usefulfor and machinesforpulling,cu Mechanical controlincludesusing various tools not economicallyfeasible. control maybecometoolaborintensive andthus several treatmentsmaybeneeded.Manual cannot beused.E or wherechemicalsmotorizedequipment and burning.Works bestonsmallpopulations hand-pulling, digging, Manual controlincludesactivitiessuchas production ofseeds. the generalgoalofcontrole required toe O OVERVIEW OFCONTROL METHODS ft en timesmorethanonecontrolmethodis tt ff ing largepopulations ofwoody ectively controlaspecies,but ff orts mustbepersistentand fl ooding, mulching, fi re adaptedcom- ff orts istostopthe tt ing, girdling, ff ective. g then smothering them. increased by plants. Thee other impenetrable barriertocover target Smothering -Use mulch,blackplastic,orany wound. trunk orstem.Herbicidecanbeapplied tothe a ring,2-5”wide,extendingentirely arounda Girdling -Remove thebarkandcambiumin be covered willvary fromspeciestospecies. sary andtheamountoftimecutplants should for aperiodoftime.Thedepth water neces- be manipulatedtocompletelycover cut plants Flooding -Onlyfeasiblewherewater levels can ding orin when soilsaredamp.Bagplantsthatbud- small oryoung plants,insandyorloose soils,or prevent resprouting.Usually works bestwith Digging/Hand-pulling -Remove entire rootto to thecutendremaininginground. budding orin during thegrowingseason.Bagplantsthatare Cu control. will dependonthespeciesthatistargetedfor spot-treat individualplants.Timingofburning fi re. However, apropanetorchcanbeusedto tt ing/Mowing –Cutormowseveral times fl ower. ff fi ectiveness ofthis techniquecanbe rst cu fl ower. Herbicidecanbeapplied tt ing thetarget plantsand Biological control refers to the use of animals, species and the hardness of the water being fungi, or diseases to control invasive popula- used to mix the herbicide. tions. Control organisms usually come from the native range of the target species, require a All herbicide formulations are listed as percent period of study to ensure that they will remain a.i. A.i. stands for active ingredient, this is specifi c to the target population, and will not the chemical that does the killing. When an harm native species, crops, or other ornamental herbicide is purchased it will contain a certain species. amount of active ingredient. You will need to use the percent a.i. in your herbicide of choice Chemical control refers to the use of herbi- to determine the amount of carrier (e.g. water cides. For all practical purposes, some invasive or oil depending on the herbicide’s formulation) plants cannot be controlled without the use of you need to add. For example if the herbicide herbicides. The choice of herbicide and method you purchased contains 41% glyphosate, but of application depends on the target popula- you need a solution of 1% a.i. you would need tion, stage of growth, the presence of desirable to add roughly 3.25 ounces of your original 41% Appendix B species that may be aff ected, the proximity of herbicide to a gallon of carrier. water resources, and environmental conditions. Herbicides must always be applied in accor- 0.41 (% a.i. in herbicide) x 3.25oz (oz of herbi- dance with the label. Surfactants, additives that cide) / 128 oz (oz in a gallon) = 1% (% solution) enhance the eff ectiveness of herbicide should always be used when applying herbicides un- Basal bark – Applying herbicide in a ring, at less applying near water. Surfactants and other least 6” wide, to the base of a woody stem. Her- additives can be very important to the eff ective- bicide penetrates stem and moves to roots. Ideal ness of herbicide treatments, consult the label for stems <6” in diameter. and retailers for information on the appropriate Bundle and cut – Many stems of a plant are additives to use. Considerations when selecting bundled together with rope. The stems are surfactants and other additives include target cut above where they are tied and herbicide is h Chemical Name Trade Name Formulation Applications Examples applied to the cut ends of the stems remaining Aminopyralid Milestone VM ? Post emergent rooted in the ground. broad- spectrum Cut-stump treatment – Cut a stem of a plant Clopyralid Transline Water Legumes and near the base and apply herbicide to the cut soluble composites surface that remains rooted in the ground. Dicamba Banvel , Oracle Water Broadleaf soluble specific Foliar spray – Apply herbicide directly to sur- Fosamine Krenite Water Dicot specific face of plant. ammonium soluble bud inhibitor Glyphosate Roundup , Water Non-selective Accord soluble Imazamox Clearcast Water Aquatic soluble vegetation Imazapic Plateau, Water Post emergent Journey soluble broad spectrum (+glyphosate) Imazapyr Arsenal, Water Pre- and Post Assault, Stalker soluble / emergent misciblemiscible broadbroadm spectru spectr m Appendix B Imazapyr Habitat Water Broadleaf (Aquatic) soluble specific (will not work on plants mostly – fully emersed)

Metsulfuron Escort Dispersible Annual / methyl Perennial weeds; Woody *Trade names are listed only as an example of species herbicides containing a specifi c active ingredi- Triclopyr amine Garlon 3A, Miscible Broadleaf ent and are not endorsements of a company’s Element 3A, specific Renovate products. Triclopyr ester Garlon 4, Bark Oil or Broadleaf Garlon 4 Ultra, Methylated specific Pathfinder II Seed Oil 1 Appendix C The Nature Conservancy, 2001 Weed Control MethodsHandbook: Tools andTechniques forUseinNatural Areas Management andWildlife Service,2002 Plant InvadersofMid-Atlantic NaturalAreas USDA ForestService,SouthernResearch Station,2003 Invasive PlantsoftheEasternUnitedStatesCD-ROM:Identi Invasive PlantsField&Reference Guide:AnEcologicalPerspectiveofPlantInvadersForests andWoodlands S.R.Kaufman&W. Kaufman,StackpoleBooks,2007 Nonnative Invasive PlantsofSouthernForests: AFieldGuideforIdenti theMNDept.ofNaturalResources, 2003 Invasive PlantsoftheUnitedStates DVD-ROM: Identi Invasive PlantsoftheSouthernTier, ForestHealthTechnology EnterpriseTeam, FHTET-2003-08, 2003 Invasive Plants:GuidetoIdenti NativeLandscapingManual, Control andIdenti Biological Control ofInvasivePlantsintheEasternUS, calPub.R8-TP 11 A GuideforPrescribed Fire inSouthernForests, Minnesota InvasiveNon-nativeTerrestrial Plants: AnIdenti and A. Cronquist,TheNewYork BotanicalGarden,1991 Manual ofVascular Plants ofNortheasternUnitedStatesandAdjacentCanada, Invasive PlantsoftheUpperMidwest ForestHealthTechnology EnterpriseTeam, FHTET-08-11, 2008 Books and References andOtherResources: Appendix C by C.D.Huebner, USDA ForestService,2006 fi eld guides: fi cation ofInvasiveSpecies:AManagementGuideforMissouri MO Dept.ofConservation andShawNatureReserve fi cation andtheImpactsControl ofCommonNorthAmericanSpecies USFS Region9byC.Mortensen,USDA ForestService,2002 by E.Czarapata,University ofWisconsin Press,2005 by J.Swearingen etal., NationalPark ServiceandU.S.Fish USDA ForestServiceSouthernRegion,Feb.1989,Techni- 1 fi USDA ForestService,Pub.FHTET-2002-04 cation, BiologyandControl. fi cation GuideforNaturalResource Managers fi cation andControl, fi cation andControl 2nd Ed.byH.A.Gleason in USDA ForestService, ShawNature Reserve USDA ForestService, by J.H.Miller, by Tu etal., by by Weeds of the North Central States, North Central Regional Research Pub. No. 281, Bul. 772, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1981 Weeds of the Northeast by R. Uva, et al. Cornell University Press, 2007 Weeds of the Northern Lake States by C.E. Mortensen, USDA Forest Service, 2001 Weeds of the Northern U.S. and Canada by F. Royer & R. Dickinson, The University of Alberta Press & Lone Pine Publishing, 1999 Weeds of the West by T.D. Whitson, et al. The Western Society of Weed Science, 5th edition, 1999

Websites: Cropland Weed Management, Montana State University Extension, htt p://scarab.msu.montana.edu/ CropWeedSearch/Docs/ Element Stewardship Abstracts, The Nature Conservancy, htt p://www.imapinvasives.org/GIST/ESA/ index.html Fire Eff ects Information System (FEIS), USDA Forest Service, htt p://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/ plants/weed/weedpage.html Fire Management Manual, The Nature Conservancy, htt p://www.tncfi remanual.org/ Illinois Wildfl owers, Dr. John Hilty, htt p://www.illinoiswildfl owers.info/weeds/weed_index.htm Invasipedia, htt p://wiki.bugwood.org/Invasipedia Invasive Plant Association of Wisconsin (IPAW), htt p://www.ipaw.org/ Invasive Plant Atlas of New England (IPANE), htt p://nbii-nin.ciesin.columbia.edu/ipane/ Invasive Plant Management Certifi cation Program Information Portal, University of Rhode Island College of the Environment and Life Sciences Outreach Center, htt p://www.uri.edu/cels/ceoc/ceoc_ programs_clp_imcp_resources.html Appendix C Invasive Plants of the U.S.: Identifi cation, Biology and Control, htt p://www.invasive.org/weedcd/ Invasive Plants of Wisconsin, UW-Green Bay Herbarium, htt p://www.uwgb.edu/biodiversity/her- barium/invasive_species/invasive_plants01.htm Invasive Species, WI Dept. of Natural Resources, htt p://www.dnr.state.wi.us/invasives/ Invasive Species Program, USDA Forest Service, htt p://www.fs.fed.us/invasivespecies/ Midwest Invasive Plant Network (MIPN), www.mipn.org 1 Missouriplants.com, Dan Tenaglia, htt p://www.missouriplants.com/ Missouriplants.com, Dan Tenaglia, htt p://www.missouriplants.com/ Montana Plant Life, htt p://montana.plant-life.org/ National Invasive Species Information Center – Plants, USDA National Agricultural Library, htt p:// www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/plants/main.shtml Non-Native Invasive Species (NNIS), Eastern Region, USDA Forest Service, htt p://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ wildlife/nnis/r9-nnis-sitemap.shtml North American Plant Protection Organization (NAPPO) Pest Fact Sheets, htt p://www.nappo.org/ PRA-sheets/PestFactsheets.htm Northeastern Area Forest Health Protection’s Invasive Plants Website, USDA Forest Service, htt p:// www.na.fs.fed.us/fh p/invasive_plants/weeds/ Noxious Weed Profi les, Wildfl owers and Weeds, Thomas J. Elpel’s Web World Pages, htt p://www. wildfl owers-and-weeds.com/weedsinfo/weedprofi les.htm Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council Invasive Plant Manual, htt p://www.invasive.org/eastern/eppc/ index.html USDA PLANTS database, htt p://plants.usda.gov/ UW-Stevens Point Freckmann Herbarium, htt p://wisplants.uwsp.edu/VascularPlants.html Vegetation Management Guide, Illinois Nature Preserves Commission, htt p://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/chf/ outreach/VMG/VMG.html Weed US: Database of Plants Invading Natural Areas in the United States, htt p://www.invasive.org/ weedus/ Weeds Gone Wild: Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas, Plant Conservation Alliance, www.nps.gov/ plants/ALIEN/ Appendix C WI Prescribed Fire Council, htt p://www.prescribedfi re.org/index.html

Papers & reports: Hartman, K.H. and B.C. McCarthy. 2007. A dendro-ecological study of forest overstorey productivity following the invasion of the non-indigenous shrub Lonicera maackii. Appl. Veg. Sci. 10: 3-14. Invasive Plants of the Future. 2005. WI Dept. of Natural Resources, Bureau of Endangered Resources, 1 Pub. ER-634-2005. Managing Invasive Plants: Special Report. 2007. WI Dept. of Natural Resources, Bureau of Endangered

Papers & reports: Hartman, K.H. and B.C. McCarthy. 2007. A dendro-ecological study of forest overstorey productivity following the invasion of the non-indigenous shrub Lonicera maackii. Appl. Veg. Sci. 10: 3-14. Invasive Plants of the Future. 2005. WI Dept. of Natural Resources, Bureau of Endangered Resources, Pub. ER-634-2005. Managing Invasive Plants: Special Report. 2007. WI Dept. of Natural Resources, Bureau of Endangered Resources, Pub. ER-655-2007. Renz, M.J. and J.D. Doll. Hill Mustard, An invasive mustard on the move in Southwestern Wisconsin. UW-Madison Extension. htt p://www.uwex.edu/ces/cty/fonddulac/hort/documents/HillMustardFact Sheet10-07.pdf Pavlovic, N., et al. 2007. American and Oriental Bitt ersweet Identifi cation, U.S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center, GLSC Fact Sheet 2007-2. Schierenbeck, K., et al. 1994. Eff ects of herbivory on growth and biomass allocation in native and introduced species of Lonicera. Ecology 75 (6) 1661-1672. Stinson, K.A., et al. 2006. Invasive plant supresses the growth of native tree seedlings by disrupting belowground mutualisms. PLoS Biol 4(5): e140. Wild Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) A Major Threat to Wisconsin’s Prairies, Fields, and Roadsides.

Photo Credits tree-of-heaven: Forest Preserve District of DuPage Co., IL (leaf); Debbie Maurer, Lake Co. Forest Preserve District, Appendix C IL (tree, samaras); garlic mustard: Nathan Tucker, Fort McCoy Wildlife Prog. (whole plant); Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org (fl owers); Paul Rothrock, Taylor University (leaves); Japanese barberry: Paul Rothrock, Taylor University (fl owers and leaves); Melissa Moser, Ohio Div. of Natural Areas & Preserves (shrub); Nathan Tucker (fruit); musk thistle: Paul Rothrock, Taylor University (fl ower); Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture (leaf); Peter Dziuk (rosett e); Asian bitt ersweet: Debbie Maurer, Lake Co. Forest Preserve District, IL; spott ed knapweed: Peter Dziuk (fl ower, rosett e); Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture (leaves); P Canada thistle: Paul Rothrock, Taylor University

1 (fl ower); Peter Dziuk (rosett e, seedheads); crown vetch: Nathan Tucker, Fort McCoy Wildlife Prog. (fl owers); Peter Dziuk (infestation); Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture (leaf); common teasel: Paul Rothrock, Taylor University (fl ower, rosett e); cut-leaved teasel: Debbie Maurer, Lake Co. Forest Preserve District, IL; Peter Dziuk (seedheads); autumn olive: Paul Rothrock, Taylor University; Russian olive: John Randall, The Nature Conservancy; leafy spurge: Deb- bie Maurer, Lake Co. Forest Preserve District, IL; dame’s rocket: Forest Preserve District of DuPage Co., IL (rosett e); Peter Dziuk (fl owers); privet: Katherine Howe, MIPN (leaves & fl owers); Melissa Moser, Ohio Div. of Natural Areas & Preserves (shrub); Japanese honeysuckle: Katherine Howe, MIPN; Asian bush honeysuckles: Paul Rothrock, Taylor University (fl ower close-up); Peter Dziuk (fruits); Melissa Moser, Ohio Div. of Natural Areas & Preserves (fl owering shrub); purple loosestrife: Katherine Howe, MIPN (fl owers); Mike Norris, The Nature Conservancy (plant); sweetclovers: Nathan Tucker, Fort McCoy Wildlife Prog. (whole plant); Peter Dziuk (white fl owers); Paul Rothrock (yellow fl owers); Japanese stiltgrass: Luke Flory, Indiana University; Eurasian watermilfoil: Scott Namestnik, JF New (fl owers); Kim Bogenschutz, Iowa DNR (infestation, leaves); wild parsnip: Nathan Tucker, Fort McCoy Wildlife Prog.; reed canarygrass: Ellen Jacquart, The Nature Conservancy (seedheads, whole plant); Peter Dziuk (leaves); common reed: Peter Dziuk (infestation shots); Melissa Moser, Ohio Div. of Natural Areas & Preserves (seedheads); , Japanese knotweed: Katherine Howe, MIPN; common buckthorn: Paul Rothrock, Taylor University; glossy buckthorn: Melissa Moser, Ohio Div. of Natural Areas & Preserves; black locust: Marcia Moore, Friesner Herbarium at Butler University (fl owers); Katherine Howe, MIPN (leaf); Forest Preserve District of DuPage Co., IL (bark, pods); Page 56, multifl ora rose: Katherine Howe, MIPN (fl owers); Melissa Moser, Ohio Div. of Natural Areas & Preserves (shrub); Nathan Tucker (fruits); Page 58, catt ails: Joy Marburger, National Park Service Appendix C

1 Glossary allelopathic producing and releasing substances that inhibit the growth of other species alternate arranged singly at each node along a stem annual a plant which germinates from seed, fl owers, sets seed, and dies within one year axil the upper angle at the point of att achment between a leaf stalk and stem biennial a plant which lives only two years, fl owering in the second year bract a leafl ike structure from which the fl ower arises capsule a dry fruit of two or more chambers which splits open when ripe clonal multiple individuals originating from vegetative reproduction from a single individual compound leaf blade divided into distinct leafl ets cool-season grass grass species which grow actively during cool, rainy months (spring and fall) but go dormant in hot, dry weather (summer) cultivar a form of plant originating under intentional breeding or cultivation dioecious male and female fl owers borne on diff erent plants divided cut into distinct parts or lobes near the base or midrib elliptic shaped in a narrow oval with equal ends, broadest in the middle entire a smooth leaf edge, without teeth, notches, or lobes glandular bearing glands which produce sticky or oily matt er herbaceous typical of an herb, not woody infl orescence the fl owering clusters on a plant joint place on stem where a leaf arises, usually used for grasses lance-shaped longer than wide, broadest toward the base, tapering toward tip lenticel slightly raised pore on the stem of some woody plants

1 ligule membrane between the leaf sheath and stem on grasses linear long and thin with nearly parallel sides lobed rounded leaf segments, cut less than halfway to the base or midrib margin the edge of a leaf monocarpic blooming only once, then dying; usually describes short-lived perennial plants monospecifi c consisting of only one species (also monoculture, used informally) mycorrhizal a symbiotic relationship between a plant root and a fungus node att achment point on stem for a leaf or branch, called a joint in grasses oblong longer than wide, rectangular opposite leaves paired at the nodes pappus in the Aster Family, a structure of bristles, awns, or scales at the apex of the fruit perennial living for 2 years or more, oft en fl owering annually aft er maturity petiole leaf stalk pinnate on a compound leaf, rows of leafl ets on two sides of the petiole pith central tissues of some stems and roots rhizome a horizontal underground stem riparian about wetlands and banks adjacent to streams or rivers root crown the persistent base of a herbaceous perennial root suckering shoots originating from below ground, usually near a parent stem of a woody plant rosett e cluster of leaves on a short axis near the ground sepals modifi ed leaves which protect the fl ower bud, may resemble the petals sessile stalkless, att ached directly to stem sheath in grasses, a leaf base which wraps at least partly around the stem silique a long capsule that sheds the outer coverings when ripe, typical of the Mustard Family

1 spatulate rounded edge tapering at the base, like a spatula spike a unbranched infl orescence with fl owers att ached directly to stem stamen fl ower part made up of anther and fi lament, produces pollen stipule a leafl ike structure at the base of a leaf stalk stolon a stem which creeps along the ground, oft en has roots at nodes style fl ower part, the stalk between ovary and stigma (the pollen receptor) terminal at the end of a branch toothed, teeth having small, forward-facing, usually pointed lobes umbel infl orescence with fl ower stalks of equal length radiating from a central point whorled with three or more leaves at a node

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