When I asked a friend this afternoon about what should I blog, she replied "Buckthorn." It wasn't totally off the wall because it had been an earlier topic of conversation. It's a nasty, invasive, woody plant that take over woodlands.
One of my properties has an abandoned farmstead that lies next to a township road. The township governing board notified property owners that it was necessary to remove trees from the right-of-way, i.e., the road ditch. Buckthorn had moved from the grove of this farmstead into the road ditch. Growing there for years unmolested it had become a thicket with some, now sizeable, trees. The trunks of these trees were 10-12 inches in diameter. With the assistance of my brother and friend we removed all the trees and brush from the ditch. With that all removed brome grass quickly established itself where the buckthorn had been removed which provides some buffer. Now I handspray new buckthorn that sprouts in the ditch to prevent a reoccurrence of infestation.
Takk for alt,
Al
"Common, or European, buckthorn, and glossy buckthorn are the two non-native, invasive buckthorn species found in Minnesota. These buckthorn species were first brought here from Europe as a popular hedging material. They became a nuisance plant, forming dense thickets in forests, yards, parks and roadsides. They crowd out native plants and displace the native shrubs and small trees in the mid-layer of the forest where many species of birds nest. Glossy buckthorn has been sold by the nursery trade in three different forms, so its appearance can vary. The cultivar Frangula alnus 'Columnaris' is narrow and tall; the cultivars Frangula alnus 'Asplenifolia' and 'Ron Williams' have narrow leaves that give them a fern-like texture." Minnesota DNR
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