Appendix B: Natural History and Control of Nonnative Invasive Plants Found in Ten Northern Rocky Mountains National Parks Introduction The Invasive Plant Management Plan was written for the following ten parks (in this document, parks are referred to by the four letter acronyms in bold): the Bear Paw Battlefield-BEPA (MT, also known as Nez Perce National Historical Park); Big Hole National Battlefield-BIHO (MT); City of Rocks National Reserve-CIRO (ID); Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve-CRMO (ID); Fossil Butte National Monument-FOBU (WY); Golden Spike National Historic Site-GOSP (UT); Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site-GRKO (MT); Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument-HAFO (ID); Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument-LIBI (MT); and Minidoka National Historic Site-MIIN (ID). The following information is contained for each weed species covered in this document (1) Park presence: based on formal surveys or park representatives’ observations (2) Status: whether the plant is listed as noxious in ID, MT, UT, or WY (3) Identifying characteristics: key characteristics to aid identification, and where possible, unique features to help distinguish the weed from look-a-like species (4) Life cycle: annual, winter-annual, biennial, or perennial and season of flowering and fruit set (5) Spread: the most common method of spread and potential for long distance dispersal (6) Seeds per plant and seed longevity (when available) (7) Habitat (8) Control Options: recommendations on the effectiveness of a. Mechanical Control b. Cultural Control c. Biological Control d. Chemical Control (herbicides listed by their active ingredients, then an example of a common trade name, and the optimal growth stage at time of application (9) Integrated Pest Management Strategy: recommendations to use a combination, or more than one management option to improve efficiency of control efforts and to reduce the use of herbicides where possible Weeds included in this document (see Table of Contents below or Table 6) currently pose a management challenge to one or more of the parks, or are included because of they have the potential to do so based on damages they have caused in similar habitats. This list was compiled using park records, interviews and park visits in 2009. This is not a comprehensive list of all non-native plants that may exist in one or more of the parks. A comprehensive list of additional species, such those on each park’s county watch list (if available) is included at the end of this document (Table 9). At this time, these are weeds not considered high priority, but autecological and biological information (if available) has been collected on them and included in the Alien Plant Ranking System 5.1 in case they become concerns in the future. 1 The Alien Plant Ranking System (APRS) (Hiebert, R.D. and J. Stubbendieck. 1993. Handbook for Ranking Exotic Plants for Management and Control. National Park Service. Natural Resources Report NPS/NRMWRO/NRR 93/08.ed) was developed for NPS staff and others to evaluate the threat from and assist in prioritizing non-native plant species for treatment. It was incorporated into the seven-step decision making process in the Preferred Alternative described in the Northern Rocky Mts. Invasive Plant Management Plan of which this Appendix is part. The list of questions that need to be answered within the APRS are listed on p. 170. 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS (To reference plants by common name, see Table 6, p. 166) Guidelines for Management Strategies: Prevention, Eradication, Containment or Suppression ........................................................... 5 Acroptilon repens (formerly Centaurea repens), Russian Knapweed ..... 7 Aegilops cylindrical, Jointed Goatgrass ............................ 11 Ambrosia tomentosa, Skeletonleaf bursage ........................... 14 Arctium minus, Common Burdock ...................................... 17 Berteroa incana, Hoary alyssum ..................................... 19 Bromus inermis, Smooth Brome ....................................... 22 Bromus tectorum, Cheatgrass or Downy brome ......................... 26 Bryonia alba, White Bryony ......................................... 30 Butomus umbellatus, Flowering rush ................................. 32 Cardaria chalepensis, Lens-podded white top and Cardaria draba, Whitetop, hoary cress .............................................. 35 Carduus acanthoides, Plumeless thistle ............................. 38 Carduus nutans, Musk thistle, Nodding Thistle ...................... 41 Centaurea diffusa, Diffuse Knapweed ................................ 45 Centaurea pratensis, aka C. debeauxii ssp. thuillieri, Meadow knapweed ................................................................... 49 Centaurea solstitialis, Yellow starthistle ......................... 52 Centaurea stoebe (formerly Centaurea maculosa) Spotted knapweed .... 56 Table 1: Sensitivity of Native Plants to the Allelopathic Catechin of Spotted Knapweed.............................................. 57 Centaurea virgata, Squarrose knapweed .............................. 62 Chondrilla juncea, Rush skeletonweed ............................... 65 Chrysanthemum leucanthemum, Oxeye daisy ............................ 69 Cirsium arvense, Canada Thistle .................................... 72 Cirsium vulgare, Bull thistle ...................................... 78 Conium maculatum, Poison hemlock ................................... 81 Convolvulus arvensis, Bindweed, Field Bindweed ..................... 85 Table 2: Herbicides for Bindweed Control......................... 87 Crupina vulgaris, Common crupina ................................... 89 Cynoglossum officinale, Hounds tongue .............................. 91 Cytisus scoparius, Scotch broom .................................... 94 Echium vulgare, Blue weed .......................................... 97 Elaeagnus angustifolia, Russian olive ............................. 100 Elymus repens, aka Agropyron repens, Quackgrass ................... 103 Euphorbia esula, Leafy spurge ..................................... 106 Gypsophila paniculata, Babysbreath ................................ 112 Hieracium sp., Hawkweed Complex ................................... 115 Table 3. Characteristics of Non-Native Hawkweed Species........ 115 Hyoscyamus niger, Black henbane ................................... 119 Hypericum perforatum, St. Johnswort ............................... 121 Isatis tinctoria, Dyer’s woad ..................................... 125 Kochia scoparia, Kochia ........................................... 128 Linaria vulgaris, Yellow toadflax ................................. 137 Lythrum salicaria, Purple loosestrife ............................. 141 Melilotus officinalis, Yellow Sweet Clover ........................ 145 Myriophyllum spicatum, Eurasian watermilfoil ...................... 148 Onopordum acanthium, Scotch thistle ............................... 151 Polygonum sp., Knotweed complex ................................... 154 Table 4: Characteristics of Plants in the Knotweed Complex...... 154 3 Table 5: Examples of Herbicides for Management of Plants in the Knotweed Complex................................................ 157 Potentilla recta, Sulfur cinquefoil ............................... 160 Ranunculus acris, Tall buttercup .................................. 163 Salsola tragus, Prickly Russian thistle ........................... 166 Salvia aethiopsis Mediterranean Sage .............................. 168 Senecio jacobaea Tansy Ragwort .................................... 171 Sonchus arvensis Perennial sowthistle ............................. 174 Tamarix ramosissima Saltcedar ..................................... 177 Tanacetum vulgare Common tansy .................................... 181 Tragopogon dubius Western Salsify ................................. 184 Tribulus terrestris Puncturevine .................................. 187 Verbascum blattaria Moth mullein .................................. 189 Verbascum thapsus Common mullein .................................. 191 Acknowledgements.................................................... 193 Glossary............................................................ 194 Table 6: Weed Species’ Latin Name, Family Name in Order of Common Name............................................................ 196 Table 7: Herbicide Active Ingredients, Example Trade Names and Modes of Action................................................. 197 Noxious Weed Definitions by State................................... 199 Idaho ............................................................ 199 Montana .......................................................... 199 Utah ............................................................. 199 Wyoming .......................................................... 199 Alien Plant Ranking System (APRS) Questions......................... 200 Resources........................................................... 207 Table 8: County Weed Coordinators for each Park................. 207 Sources to obtain an update on the status of biocontrols ......... 207 Useful on-line publications ...................................... 207 Plant Identification Assistance by State (see forms at end) ...... 208 University of Idaho Plant/Weed Identification Request Form ....... 210 Montana State University Plant Identification Form ............... 211 Table 9: List of Potential Invaders............................. 215 4 Guidelines for Management Strategies: