We have a problem here in N Ohio with glossy buckthorn, *Rhamnus frangula*. It is tolerant of both shade and poor drainage, and is very common in disturbed woods. Have yet to see a European buckthorn in our area, however.
Steve On Wed, Oct 1, 2008 at 4:34 PM, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Arrgh! Buckthorns!!! > > They've been a real big problem here in the western Great Lakes for 20-30 > or more years. They are still used as a landscape plant, although there is > finally serious talk about laws to eliminate there sale here. > > They've impeded prairie and wetland restoration and preservation efforts > here and are severely impacting savanna remnants. In wetlands, they've > dropped surface water tables (through transpiration) by up to 2 feet in some > cases, thereby aiding the introduction of other alien invasives in adjacent > wetlands. Local conservation groups have volunteer-based buckthorn busting > events from time to time. > > Lee has mentioned to me in the past that our black cherry is invasive in > Europe and out competes buckthorn there, while the opposite occurs here. > > They are hard on the chainsaws and wood chippers, and stump sprout > aggressively, requiring concentrated Round-up on fresh cut stumps to finish > them off. They are also very difficult to start on fire even on dried up > brush piles, but will burn extremely hot once they are started. > > I've also heard that waxwings actually prefer their berries, to their own > detriment. Apparently the coloring of bohemian/cedar waxwings changes if > they eat non-native berries such as buckthorn, and the males become less > attractive to females, thereby reducing their success at mating and > maintaining their population levels. > > Paul Jost > > > ---- Kirk Johnson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > ============= > No plan in place right now. Probably some combination of herbicides and > mechanical treatments. There might be a strategy of simply try to contain > the core infested area, and stamp out satellite populations where and when > they crop up. > > > > > > From: Elisa Campbell <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Reply-To: [email protected] > Date: Wed, 01 Oct 2008 13:50:05 -0400 > To: [email protected] > Subject: [ENTS] Re: European buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) infestation in > the Allegheny National Forest > > > Kirk, > is there a plan for control? (I realize eradication is probably impossible > at this point) > Elisa > > Kirk Johnson wrote: > European buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) infestation in the Allegheny > National Forest Anyone following Allegheny National Forest (ANF) issues > will > be hearing a great deal about European buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) trees > for the foreseeable future. European Buckthorn is a troublesome invasive > exotic species, it is not native to the ANF, Pennsylvania, or even North > America. > > European buckthorn was first noted in the Allegheny National Forest (ANF) > around 1994 as a small 3-6 acre component of the understory in three to > four > stands in the Pole Road Run and Davidson Run watersheds in Elk County. Pole > Road Run and Davidson Run are tributaries of Bear Creek, which flows south > through the proposed Clarion River Wilderness Area and empties into the > Clarion River. > > Buckthorn are small trees reaching 20-25 feet in height and 10 inches in > diameter. Most often they grow in a large shrub form, having a few to > several stems from the base, with spreading, loosely-branched crowns. Their > bark is gray to brown with prominent, often elongate, lighter-colored > lenticels. Cutting a branch exposes a yellow sapwood and a pinkish to > orange > heartwood. > > The leaves are 1" - 2 1/2" in size, broadly elliptical, finely > wavy-toothed, > and may be arranged both alternately and oppositely on the same branch. In > the fall, leaves remain green and attached after most other species have > lost theirs. The fruits are about 5/16" in diameter, similar in structure > to > a cherry (but containing more than one seed), are very dark colored, and > numerous. The seeds can remain viable on the forest floor for several > years. > > The fruits are eagerly eaten by songbirds, and so the seeds are spread > widely. It's not necessarily that songbirds prefer buckthorn berries to > those of native trees and shrubs, it's often the only option available on > severely infested sites. And since the fruit of buckthorn causes a severe > laxative effect (hence the species name cathartica), the birds quickly pass > the seeds in their droppings. When the trees reach maturity they produce > abundant fruit and within a few years there are commonly thousands of > seedlings around the base of each mature tree. Also, cut stumps will sprout > vigorously. > > A woodland area severely infested with buckthorn develops into a very poor > ecosystem. There is a terrible lack of flora and fauna species diversity, > which is critical for a healthy ecosystem. There is a paucity of food and > suitable habitat for many wildlife species. > > In 2001, casual observations made by employees of the ANF noted that > buckthorn was reaching significant portions of the Pole Run Road/Davidson > Run region. In 2007, the ANF was given additional funds to inventory these > infestations and found buckthorn on nearly 3,500 acres -- occupying an area > 1,000 times larger than in 1994: > > 20% (650 acres) -- heavy infestation > 35% (1,150 acres) -- moderate > 30% (975 acres) -- light > 15% (500 acres) -- trace > Only 50 out of 3,500 acres surveyed failed to find buckthorn. > > European buckthorn grows in extremely dense thickets that all but > eliminates > any chance for native vegetation to reproduce on the forest floor. The > Forest Service has found buckthorn growing in forest conditions they never > thought possible. Today it can be described literally as a 'plague' on the > landscape. Its distribution and rate of spread is truly unprecedented and > unequaled. > > Only the very hardest, most compact rock/clay soils on roads and oil well > pads were found to be unsuitable growing sites. Regardless of the width of > the road and/or well pad, center of the road and road edges are found to be > totally infested. This means that old lease roads, pipelines, skid trails, > and well openings are all avenues for the spread and establishment of > buckthorn. If any part of these facilities create a break in the forest > canopy, buckthorn can invade. Even in these 'waste' areas, buckthorn growth > is rapid and unchecked. > > Only the most saturated wetlands, such as beaver ponds and open seeps have > been found to be unsuitable -- while their edges can be totally infested. > Although soils that are saturated much of the year are unsuitable, any > small > 'hummock,' as little as six inches high, found in these areas that drain > just a little better were found to support buckthorn. > > > > Please keep your eyes peeled for this aggressive invasive plant when out > and > about in the ANF. If you notice European buckthorn thickets in portions of > the ANF not mentioned in this email, please report it to the Forest > Service, > they will be grateful for your observation. Let them know what drainage you > found it growing in, along which Forest Road you observed it growing, etc. > > Bradford Ranger District: (814) 362-4613 > > Marienville Ranger District: (814) 927-6628 > > Young buckthorn trees that are in the three- to five-foot range and smaller > can be pulled out of the ground roots & all relatively easily. But cutting > them down will only encourage accelerated growth from the cut stump. > > > > > Additional information on European buckthorn: > > http://www.uwgb.edu/biodiversity/herbarium/invasive_species/rhacat01.htm > > http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=RHCA3 > > http://www.nps.gov/plants/ALIEN/fact/rhca1.htm > > > > The attached photos of European buckthorn were taken during a September 30, > 2008 field trip in the ANF along Forest Road 161A near Pole Road Run, in > the > heart of the infested area. > > > > > -- > Friends of Allegheny Wilderness > 220 Center Street > Warren, PA 16365 > 814-723-0620 > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://www.pawild.org > > A Citizens' Wilderness Proposal for Pennsylvania's Allegheny National > Forest: http://www.pawild.org/exec_summary.html > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > Elisa K Campbell, Ph.D. > Software Support OIT, UMass Amherst > (413) 545-1853 fax: (413) 545-3203 > ************************************* > "I got a simple rule about everybody. > If you don't treat me right, shame on you." > Louis Armstrong > > > > > > > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Eastern Native Tree Society http://www.nativetreesociety.org You are subscribed to the Google Groups "ENTSTrees" group. 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