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buckthorn that is merely cut down will absolutely regro --001a11c3b2c01aac6104fb8de2fc Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable There is another example of a plant considered to be invasive being brought to Nova Scotia hundreds of years ago, and then causing problems from a more recent introduction. Purple Loosestrife was used medicinally at Fortress of Louisbourg during the early 1700s. Some plants persisted into the late 1800s when John Macoun saw it and recorded it. However, it appears to have died out before Purple Loosestrife arrived on Cape Breton from mainland Nova Scotia and further west in the late 1900s. Pixie Williams did the investigative work to document this while completing her MSc on the flora of Louisbourg. David McCorquodale, Georges River, NS David McCorquodale Georges River, NS On Tue, Jun 10, 2014 at 9:19 PM, David & Alison Webster <dwebster@glinx.com= > wrote: > Hi Again, > The Acadian origin applies to NS. In general it likely would have bee= n > earliest settlers. The first Flora of NS (Roland, 1944) Says; "Scattered > shrubs are found about some of the towns, as Wolfville & Truro. South of > Amherst it occurs along the roadside and has spread into a pasture where = it > grows like alder bushes." The second (Roland & Smith, 1964) says the > same;verbatim. John Erskine (1975) recognized the Acadian connection. He > was not always correct (Who is ? He said that Rhamnus sp. were used as > hedges; not so because cattle graze them bald. And the widespread rural > practice pre 1960 of nearly everyone having one or two cows I suspect kep= t > it from spreading.) but it is surely no coincidence that all known statio= ns > in his time had Acadian associations. > > Rhamnus these days is just another mine canary. NS sits in the exhaus= t > pipe of Eastern North America and this air pollution coupled with erratic > weather is tough on trees and probably other vegetation. It is just hard > not to notice when a White Pine or Red Spruce goes into decline when it > should have the vigor of youth. And especially difficult when large areas > are affected, e.g. Annapolis Valley. When a sun-loving plant invades the > 'shade' of coniferous woodland you will likely see a sparse canopy if you > look up and dead trees if you look ahead. > > There is a world of difference between fall and August. Cutting in th= e > fall is sure to be followed by vigorous suckering. Cutting woody perennia= ls > in August if you wish to killl or discourage them is not my recipe. I > learned this at least 70 years ago as common knowledge in this neck of th= e > woods. To kill Speckled Alder this way takes patience but eventually even > it will succomb. > > But don't take my word for it. Just try cutting in August or if so > inclined then lay out a bare bones replicated trial; e.g. 3 blocks, 4 plo= ts > in each assigned at random to a) cut mid-August, b) cut mid-September, c) > cut mid-October and d) control. In each plot count seedlings, whips (<5 m= m > diam.) and stems. Cut as low to ground level as possible. Count suckers a > year later. > > When a have a few spare minutes in North Alton I will take some > digitals.. > > Yt, Dave Webster, Kentville > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > *From:* Donna Crossland <dcrossland@eastlink.ca> > *To:* naturens@chebucto.ns.ca > *Sent:* Tuesday, June 10, 2014 5:36 PM > *Subject:* RE: [NatureNS] Glossy Buckthorn > > Glossy buckthorn spread has been attributed mainly to the (unregulated) > nursery industry, sold as a rather showy (=E2=80=98glossy=E2=80=99) shrub= that was planted > near homes. In all of the scientific publications I have read, I have n= ot > seen any reference to the Acadians. Perhaps they brought some, but most = of > the buckthorn arrived far more recently. The more recent horticultural > plantings, followed by recent disturbances from accelerated forest > harvesting and land clearing are helping it spread much more rapidly now. > Some of the oldest buckthorn around the Caledonia area are ~30-40 years = of > age. > > > > I have cut it in the fall and had it spring back up. There are countless > research papers on the topic of glossy buckthorn control because of its > incredible resilience. No one has yet found an easy fix. Cutting has be= en > tried repeatedly in both Canada and US without success. Autumn is > precisely the time when I do cut stump treatments. Unfortunately waiting > until fall allows it to produce an entire season of fruit if it is a matu= re > plant. I have now revised my strategy to lop off the tops (with flowers > and fruit) early, then returning to make a fresh stump cut in the fall to > follow up with a small chemical treatment on the cut stem. While small > plants can be pulled out easily, mature plants are nearly impossible to > pull, even with a fancy weed wrench. > > > > Unfortunately, I have also seen it grow in great multitudes in the > understory of intact white pine forest, deep in the shade. All it needs > is an uprooting event, or some form of canopy gap to spring forth and > occupy a newly opened space. One scientific paper describes how it =E2= =80=98may=E2=80=99 > eventually be outcompeted in the shaded growth of hemlock forest. That > gives some hope, but our current forest practices no longer seem to allow > forests to mature and attain canopy closure. Fens and riversides offer > plenty of light for buckthorn growth, eventually pushing out important an= d > sometimes rare native species. > > > > Conclusion: Aggressively eradicate this plant wherever found. Perhaps > one day in the future we will have better long-term solutions that do not > involve chemical use. Meanwhile we need to control it as best possible i= n > order to protect native biodiversity. If control is successfully achieve= d > over its propensity to stump-sucker by simply cutting the plant at > precisely the correct time, we should herald the method and carefully > document success so that others may follow suit. Protected area managers > and many others will want your =E2=80=98recipe=E2=80=99. > > > > We were the cause of this plant=E2=80=99s introduction, so we should at l= east try > to undo our own damage. > > > > Donna Crossland > > > > *From:* naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca [mailto: > naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca] *On Behalf Of *David & Alison Webster > *Sent:* June-09-14 2:12 PM > *To:* naturens@chebucto.ns.ca > *Subject:* Re: [NatureNS] Glossy Buckthorn > > > > Hi Donna & All, > > I am talking about Rhamnus frangula AKA,