Nothing to do with wood - Plant I.D.

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WoodPorn

WoodPorn

Minister of Fire
Aug 24, 2009
1,503
South of the beloved Patriots
I hoping someone can I.D. this invasive plant species and tell me how to wipe it off the planet!

These plants are invading my back yard occupying every square inch of habitable space. the stalks look kinda like bamboo but are very tender and fragile, they are also hollow. If I'm not mistaken they shoot out some Red/Purple berries in the fall.

Help

P.S. Round-Up does nothing.
 

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Looks a bit like jewelweed. Does it have orange or yellow flowers? If you spray water on the leaves, does it bead up like water on a waxed car? If so, probably jewelweed which is a beneficial plant. But if you don't want it, I would think a weedeater would clear out the patch in short order.
 
If Round Up won't kill it, it ain't related to grasses or common weeds. Take a representative sample of it to a local nursery and ask them. It's likely a common plant in your area, and they're probably going to be able to identify it and help you figure out how to control/eradicate it. Good luck with it...that stuff sure does look happy there. %-P Rick
 
I thought the only things that were immune to roundup were some ferns and other primitive plants, unless you have some of those roundup ready weeds. Roundup (glyphosate) or pretty much any other weedkiller, works best when the plants are actively growing, ie warm and moist. If it's too cool or dry it won't work as well, if at all. Also roundup takes a while (a week or two) to kill.

I'd try some good ole 2-4D or triple broadleaf weed killer on it and see what happens, or mow it down and spray whatever comes back up.
 
I guess I should have been more specific, Round-up will wilt/yellow the leaves but not to the point of killing the plant. I can't mow the area because it is a wet, marshy area between (50') a river and my yard. I do hack these thing down w/ a string trimmer/scythe but they grow back faster than rabbits have offspring!
 
Cover the area for a while with black plastic or roofing material and then later seed the area with a suitable grass.
 
Werm said:
I'd need about 5000 ft2
Click to expand...
Q: How do you eat an elephant?

A: One bite at a time.

Do you think it wise to spray herbicide so close to a river?
 
If they are growing in a marshy area it definitely sounds like jewelweed. The juices of this plant work great on poison ivy or nettle stings.

Spraying a lot of herbicide on a marshy area is not a good thing. The marshy area means that the water table is close to the surface. You don't want to get persistent chemicals into the water. I would not spray unless it was under drought conditions. Get a big roll of black plastic to cover the area and take it down a section at a time.
 
LLigetfa said:
Werm said:
I'd need about 5000 ft2
Click to expand...
Q: How do you eat an elephant?

A: One bite at a time.

Do you think it wise to spray herbicide so close to a river?
Click to expand...

Exactly, I guess I missed that part in the op as well
 
BeGreen said:
If they are growing in a marshy area it definitely sounds like jewelweed. The juices of this plant work great on poison ivy or nettle stings.

Spraying a lot of herbicide on a marshy area is not a good thing. The marshy area means that the water table is close to the surface. You don't want to get persistent chemicals into the water. I would not spray unless it was under drought conditions. Get a big roll of black plastic to cover the area and take it down a section at a time.
Click to expand...
+1
 
A 16' x 100' roll of 6mil black poly can be had for under $50. That's 1600 sq ft of coverage.

If it is Jewelweed, I'm surprised that it is taking over your yard unless your yard is extremely wet. I have Jewelweed growing in a ditch adjacent to my lawn and the lawnmower has no problem to contain it. It also hasn't spread up the other bank into the wooded area. I think it only spreads by seed so knocking it down before it goes to seed should help contain it. I have some other wetland grasses that are far more invasive and I control them by uprooting them before they turn to seed.

I actually like the look of the Jewelweed bordering my lawn. I didn't know of their medicinal value. I have some stinging nettle too and could have used the Jewleweed.
 
I know it is a bit on the labor intensive side but pulling it out works wonders - and it comes out pretty easily. Just go to it or hire some labor.
 
If you're worried about the fishies and the frog's sexual identity issues then I retract my broadleaf weedkiller recomendation- go with roundup-glyphosate-six ounces to the gallon and cover most of the leaf surface. Glyphosate has a relatively high LD 50 of something like a half a liter (apparently it's poplular way of attempting suicide, they have very good data) for humans and is not active once it contacts the soil.

If it's full size now and not actively growing, then I'd mow it down and wait until it bounces back to spray it so it's actively growing. If it's an annual then you're going to have to get something else established there to block it out unless you want to lay down a barrage of pre-emergents to keep the seeds from germinating, but that's a definite no-no with the water situation.

Personally I'd mow what I could and learn to like the rest.
 
BeGreen said:
If they are growing in a marshy area it definitely sounds like jewelweed. The juices of this plant work great on poison ivy or nettle stings. .
Click to expand...

I've heard the same thing before.
 
benjamin said:
If you're worried about the fishies and the frog's sexual identity issues then I retract my broadleaf weedkiller recomendation- go with roundup-glyphosate-six ounces to the gallon and cover most of the leaf surface. Glyphosate has a relatively high LD 50 of something like a half a liter (apparently it's poplular way of attempting suicide, they have very good data) for humans and is not active once it contacts the soil.

If it's full size now and not actively growing, then I'd mow it down and wait until it bounces back to spray it so it's actively growing. If it's an annual then you're going to have to get something else established there to block it out unless you want to lay down a barrage of pre-emergents to keep the seeds from germinating, but that's a definite no-no with the water situation.

Personally I'd mow what I could and learn to like the rest.
Click to expand...

+1 on the mowing and toleration.

I've read that glyphosphate degrades pretty quickly on plants in and soil but but not in water. I think Roundup has specific instructions not to spray it so that it can get into waterways. I.e., don't spray it on right before expected rain.
 
what i do around the house is weedwhack the large stuff then spray the leftover with liquid chlorine. use it quite often on the gravel driveway also.
might take 2 applications but it works..




pq201320liquid20pool20chlorine_type.png
 
Does Jewel weed grow to 4 or 5' with a 3-4' spread? From the pics I've pulled up online it does not seem to be the same.

Does the chlorine pose an enviro hazard?
 
Werm said:
Does the chlorine pose an enviro hazard?
Click to expand...

over here the gov has pretty much stopped all spraying? which i guess is a good thing but the sewage/water plants i work in are like a jungle now,and what we do is use the liquid cl2 which we found out is fine.

i trust the chlorine around my well at the house more than anything else.

Terry
 
A little chlorine in your water- not a huge issue. Chlorine in a stream- not ideal.

Bleach breaks down into harmless materials, but may form some organochlorine products that will be persistent and not desirable. Until it breaks down it will kill invertebrates and cause some issues at some concentration.

I would not spray enough outside on the ground to kill plants to be sure. It's a misuse of the product, and not worth any risk (IMO).
 
true its a misuse but what i didnt say was i dont broadcast the spray, i use a 2gal sprayer and hit each plant stalk or weed at the house when needed.
missed the wetland part but chlorine dissipates very quickly and the amount of cl2 i am talking about wouldnt/shouldnt be a factor..

but by no means am i a scientist ;-)

Terry
 
Whatever it is, we have it here, too and will invade like crazy if not mowed.
Mowing or hand scything works and its rather easy as the plant is fragile.
I've never seen it get much more than hip high, though.

Only see it where we've disturbed the ground and no grasses have set up.
Watch for poison ivy, the two tend to like the same spots.


I'm surprised brush killer ( never works on much of anything with just one dose) doesn't knock it down.
 
Look up Japanese Knotweed. It is an invasive species here in Ma. The description sounds the same, Hollow and bamboo-like. There are a few websites with control recommendations. Seems like it is hard to get rid of. :sick:
 
Hi;
Common names vary, but the left posted photo is either Japanese Knotweed or one of the other Polygonum species.
It is very tough and quite invasive but is not toxic to my knowledge.

Jewelweed, 'Impatiens' genus has smallish flowers, usually orangey, and then gets nice little pods that snap and explode when you rub them.
 
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