Southern Appalachian Non-Native Invasive PLants

Non-native Invasive plants have been proven to be a problem; they are impacting  Rare species habitats  Remote high quality habitats including wilderness  Tree regeneration, plant composition and abundance Kudzu enveloping Virginia  Disturbance regime, soil chemistry Spiraea  Restoration project success  Wildfire intensity, duration, and frequency  Require extensive funds to control – Over $100,000 are spent annually on the Nantahala & Pisgah NFs

Southern Appalachian Flora includes more than 300 non-native plants. Only a few have been identified to be the most invasive. Most are from Asia occurring in similar habitats as present in the Southern Apps.

Oriental Species Year Introduced Origin Princess Tree Paulownia tomentosa 1834 East Asia Bittersweet Vine Mimosa Albizia julibrissin 1745 Asia, Iran Tree of Heaven Ailanthus altissima 1784 Asia Multiflora Rose Rosa multiflora 1868 Japan, Korea, China Chinese Privet Ligustrum sinense 1852 China Japanese Meadowsweet Spiraea japonica 1870’s Japan, Korea, China Japanese Knotweed Polygonum cuspidatum 1800’s ??? East Asia Autumn Olive Elaeagnus umbellulata 1830 China, Japan Oriental Bittersweet Celastrus orbiculatus 1870 China, Japan Kudzu Pueraria montana Early 1900’s China, Japan Large Bittersweet Vine Japanese Honeysuckle Lonicera japonica 1806 Japan, Korea, China Chinese Yam Dioscorea polystachya Early-Mid 1900’s ??? China Chinese Silvergrass Miscanthus sinensis Early 1900’s ??? China, Japan Japanese Stiltgrass Microsetgium vimineum 1919 East Asia, India Garlic Mustard Aillaria petiolata Early-Mid 1800’s Europe Coltsfoot Tussilago farafara 1700’s ???? Europe

Strategy Japanese Spiraea

 Develop a list of the worst invasive species based on extent of spread, potential rate of spread, ability to control

 Research which habitats the invasive species is spreading in

 Research appropriate control methods with consideration of frequency and timing

 Prioritize control within most at risk habitats and/or with adjacent cooperative land owners

 Work with partners in Southern Appalachian Cooperative Weed Partnership (SACWMP)

 Develop a list of invasive species most likely to invade from adjacent states and search for initial outbreaks to control Coltsfoot  Periodically monitor control sites to maintain effective control

 Harvest, if feasible, at unsustainable rates DRAFT - Best available data as of February 2013. Map may have been developed from different sources, accuracies and modeling, and is subject to change without notice.

Japanese Knotweed Garlic Mustard Chinese Silvergrass Japanese Stiltgrass Chinese Yam