Fifteen Minutes in the Forest: Invasive Plants

Karen Snape discusses how to identify and control 3 common exotic invasive plants in Virginia.
Learn more about exotic invasive plants in Virginia here: www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/420/420-3...
Sign up to receive the FREE Virginia Forest Landowner Update monthly e-Update and printed quarterly newsletter here: forestupdate.frec.vt.edu/news.... Each printed edition features a new exotic invasive species.

[@RezaJones]

Really good job of explaining why the plants were brought here, what their uses were, why they are a problem, and mitigation options.

[@markjones5561]

Thank you for the advice on dealing with garlic mustard in winter. I find this is the best time. It's very easy to spot the rosettes almost all other plants have died back, and in the wetter winter months it's very easy to pull out by hand. In spring into summer, the smaller plants can hide in the developing understory, and I've found short garlic mustard flowers just as well as the taller stuff. I do wonder if ALL garlic mustard is biannual as I've found what seems first-year plants developing flowers and seed. They are usually very small, just a few inches, but they do go to seed and add to the seed bank.

[@emilymarie9796]

Thank you!!!

[@donnasummers9284]

Or you can harvest it for food! All parts of the plant are edible-full of vitamin A, B, E &C. It goes great in soups, salads, tacos It's also medicinal; antiviral, antifungal, anti inflammatory and used to treat bronchitis. Thank our decendants who brought the seeds here to heal people.