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Invasive Plants

Park staff treat or remove plants designated as category 1 invasives by Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council (FlEPPC) upon discovery.

West Indian Marshgrass (Hymenachne amplexicaulis), and paragrass (Brachiaria mutica) are not removed from the river marsh or isolated marshes west of All Weather Road or Cabin Lane. The use of herbicides in this area would be futile at this time, as seed source would continue to invade from upstream of the park. They are removed from other areas of the park. New infestations of Category 2 exotics are removed when practical.

There are also a few plants not currently listed by EPPC that park staff have found to be invasive, and so are routinely removed when encountered. Listed below are plants treated as invasive and the treatment currently used by park staff.

Air Potato
Scientific Name: Dioscorea bulbifera
Origin: Invasive
Invasive Classification : Category 1 Exotic from Tropical Asia.
Treatment: Cut or remove vines from trees; Spray foliage with 4% solution Glyphosate. Also use water conditioner for hard water and add surfactant if not included with Glyphosate. Pick & bag potatoes, dig up tubers.

air-potatoTwining vine with prominent veins on shiny, dark green, heart shaped leaves up to 6-inches or more wide; smooth leaf margins.

Similar plants: Hemp vine and grape vine do not have shiny leaves or smooth margins. Morning glory does not have prominent veins.

Potatoes will sprout into new vines.

Australian Pine
Scientific Name: Casuarina spp.
Origin: Invasive
Invasive Classification : Category 1 Invasive Exotic from Tropical Asia.
Treatment: Cut tree and paint 50% solution of Imazapyr in water to cut stump. Seedlings can be dug up or treated with 2% solution of Imazapyr in water. Chemical can translocate in soil and harm nearby trees, especially oaks.

Austral-PineAll three species of Casuarina found in Florida are large, single-trunked pine-like trees up to 150-feet tall with gray-green, jointed branches that resemble pine needles.

When cut down, Australian pine will resprout unless chemically treated

Brazillian Pepper
Scientific Name: Schinus terrebinthifolius
Origin: Invasive
Invasive Classification : Category 1 Invasive exotic from Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay.
Treatment: Dig up seedlings or young trees. Treat cut stumps of larger trees immediately with 25% solution of Imazapyr in water. Bag & dispose of seeds.

brazilian pepperMulti-stemmed evergreen shrub or tree with compound leaves. Leaves have 7 to 9 oblong, bright green, non-leathery leaflets that smell like pepper or turpentine when crushed. Small berries on female plants change from green to bright red as they ripen.

Caesarweed
Scientific Name: Urena lobata
Origin: Invasive
Invasive Classification : Category 2 invasive from Tropical America
Treatment: Pull up when encountered, preferably before it begins to seed. Also can be treated with 3% solution of glyphosate in water.

Caesar WeedThis obnoxious weed spreads quickly in disturbed areas such as picnic areas and campgrounds. It also spreads in hammock areas. It is a good project to assign to younger volunteers as young plants are not too difficult for children to pull up. We had excellent results treating along the park drive by treating plants prior to seeding. The following year the plant cover was reduced by 75%. Caesarweed may be resistent to Imazapyr.

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