Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge
Early Detection Invasive Plant List
Fall 2012
Early Detection of Yellow Iris on Rachel Carson NWR in 2011. Wells, Maine
Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge
321 Port Road
Wells, ME 04090
(207) 646-9226
Background
This list was drafted in conjunction with the late Les Mehrhoff, Lee Patrick (Invasive Plant Control, Inc.), and
Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge (RCNWR) staff. In addition to early detection plants, a few species
which are not early detection, nor common on Refuge lands, were added due to their high management
concerns. Lee Patrick provided training on plant identification to Refuge staff and select volunteers in 2011.
Refuge intern Annie Gilmore, with assistance from biological technicians David Tibbetts and Kaiti
Titherington and Refuge Intern Bri Rudinsky, developed this useful guide to plant identification for use at
workshops in 2012. In 2012, RCNWR provided training to employees and select partners. This is the longer
list; there is a shorter version available. Funding for this project in 2011 and 2012 was provided by U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service. For more information contact Refuge Biologist, Rachel Carson NWR. (207) 646-9226.
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Contents
Purpose .................................................................................................................................................................................. 4
Tree-of-heaven ...................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Burning Bush ........................................................................................................................................................................ 7
Wineberry a.k.a Wine Raspberry ....................................................................................................................................... 9
Japanese Honeysuckle ....................................................................................................................................................... 11
Japanese Stiltgrass .............................................................................................................................................................. 14
Lesser Celandine a.k.a. Fig Buttercup ............................................................................................................................. 17
Goutweed ............................................................................................................................................................................ 19
Asiatic Sand Sedge ............................................................................................................................................................. 22
Spotted Knapweed ............................................................................................................................................................. 24
Black Swallow-wort ........................................................................................................................................................... 27
Ornamental Jewelweed ..................................................................................................................................................... 29
Tall or Perennial Pepperweed .......................................................................................................................................... 33
Privets .................................................................................................................................................................................. 37
Mile-A-Minute Vine........................................................................................................................................................... 40
Flowering Rush .................................................................................................................................................................. 45
Porcelainberry a.k.a. Amur Peppervine.......................................................................................................................... 48
Yellow Flag Iris ................................................................................................................................................................... 51
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Purpose
The purpose of this document is to identify those species Rachel Carson NWR will survey for and consider
management priorities to either keep them out of the state of Maine (i.e. in the case of perennial pepperweed)
or keep off Refuge lands (i.e. black swallowwort). This list and identification document will be shared with
our local partners who spend time conserving and enjoying our natural areas.
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Tree-of-heaven
Ailanthus altissima
Quassia Family (Simaroubaceae)
Broadleaf Deciduous Tree
Flowers: Jun-Aug
Fruits: Jul-winter
Native Range: China
Range & Habitats: Massachusetts and southern Ontario to Texas and northern Florida; found in the West but
discontinuously distributed. Found in disturbed forests, forest edges, old fields, roadsides, urban areas,
widespread, in a wide range of soils.
Status on RCNWR 6/24/10: Not yet on refuge; wind dispersed tree; in Kittery
Native Lookalikes: Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra L.) and Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina L.)
Quick ID:
1. Leaves: leaflets entire except for one to several broad, rounded teeth at base; underside of leaflet with a
round, thickened spot (a gland) near the base of each tooth.
2. Fruit: Large cluster of winged samaras (papery wing).
3. Odor: Leaves and stems of plant with a strong, unpleasant odor when crushed or bruised.
More ID Tips:
Ailanthus has clear sap, whereas the native lookalike staghorn and smooth sumac have milky, sticky sap. The
young stems and petioles of Ailanthus are hairless. Smooth sumac has hairless but glaucous (having a whitish,
waxy covering) stems and staghorn sumac stems are covered in dense hairs. The underside of Ailanthus
leaflets are green or light green, compared to the native sumacs’ leaflets which have whitish undersides.
Ailanthus has thin gray bark with distinctive, diamond-shape markings on younger trees and pale vertical lines
on older trees. Native sumacs have smooth bark with narrow horizontal markings. Ailanthus grows up to 90 ft.
(25 m) whereas native sumacs do not grow more than 33 ft. (10 m) tall. The crown is broad with few branches.
Inconspicuous greenish flowers bloom at the end of new shoots.
Recommended Pictures: toothed leaves, leaf composition, gland at bottom of tooth, samaras, bark
Lobed leaves - Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org
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Glands - James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
Samaras - James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
Oppositely arranged leaflets - Paul Wray, Iowa State University, Bugwood.org
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Burning Bush
Euonymus alata
Bittersweet Family (Celastraceae)
Deciduous Shrub/Woody Vine
Flowers: Apr-Jun
Fruits: Sep-winter
Native Range: China, Korea, Japan
Range & Habitats: Mid-Western and northeastern US states, including Connecticut, Massachusetts, New
Hampshire and Maine. Found in forests, stream banks and hedgerows, mostly near heavily populated areas.
Grows in full sun to nearly full shade and in dry to relatively moist soils.
Status on RCNWR 6/24/10: Small amount on refuge; increasing
Native Lookalikes: Wahoo (E. atropurpurea)
Quick ID
1. Habit: Deciduous upright shrub
2. Stems: winged
3. Ripe Fruit: capsule purplish
More ID Tips:
Burning bush has winged stems, four-parted flowers and fruits, and distinctive purplish capsule segments that
curl back after opening, leaving the red arils (fleshy seed covering) exposed. It grows up to 12 ft. (3.5 m). The
opposite, elliptical leaves are usually less than 2 in. (5 cm) long, have toothed margins and turn a bright scarlet
to purplish red in the fall. Lookalikes include strawberry bush (E. americanus) which has four-sided, wingless,
green stems, five-parted flowers, pink fruits with bumpy surfaces, and orange arils. Wahoo (E. atropurpureus)
can be distinguished by its wingless stems and fruits with smooth pink capsules.
Recommended Pictures: whole bush, winged stems, flowers
Leaves - Photo: James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
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Bush - Photo: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, IPANE
Winged stems - Photo: © Barry M. Rice/The Nature Conservancy
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Wineberry a.k.a Wine Raspberry
Rubus phoenicolasius
Rose Family (Rosaceae)
Deciduous Shrub
Flowers: Jun
Fruits: Jul-Aug
Native Range: China, Korea, Japan
Range & Habitats: Widespread throughout temperate regions in moist to mesic soil in open forests, forest
edges, wetland edges, thickets, grasslands, roadsides, and shale banks.
Status on RCNWR 6/24/10: Unknown
Native Lookalikes: Black Raspberry (Rubus occidentalis L.) and Common Blackberry (Rubus L.)
Quick ID
1. Leaves: Underside covered in dense matted, WHITE, woolly hairs
2. Branches: Branches, petioles, and sepals densely shaggy with long, glandular, purplish-red hairs
3. Fruits: Orange-red
More ID Tips:
Black Raspberry and Common Blackberry are commonly found growing with Wineberry. The large, eggshaped terminal leaflet with a short, tapering, pointed tip distinguishes Wineberry from these two native
species. The fruits of Wineberry remain enveloped by the sepals (specialized leaves) until it has ruined, unlike
the fruits of black raspberry which are never enclosed by the sepals.
Recommended Pictures: underside covered in white hairs, shaggy purplish-red hairs on branches, sepals
covering fruits, leaflet
Hairy stem - Photo: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
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Leaves with white underside – Photo: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Shaggy sepals - Photo: Troy Evans, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Bugwood.org
Bush - Photo: John M. Randall, The Nature Conservancy, Bugwood.org
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Japanese Honeysuckle
Lonicera japonica
Honeysuckle Family (Caprifoliaceae)
Woody Vine
Flowers: May-Jul
Fruits: Sep-Oct
Native Range: Japan, Korea, Eastern China
Range & Habitats: Eastern states (excluding Vermont) to central Illinois and Missouri and south to Kansas,
California and Florida. Common in fields, forest openings and edges, along fencerows and on roadsides.
Status on RCNWR 6/24/10: Not on refuge; dispersed by birds; occurrences in Kittery and Portsmouth, NH
Native Lookalikes: Native twining honeysuckles, and poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans).
Quick ID:
1. Leaf surface: leaves with underside paler green, but not strongly whitened, sometimes hairy
2. Leaves: all leaves opposite and distinct from each other, semi-evergreen
3. Flower arrangement: flower clusters produced in the axils of leaf pairs along the length of the stem,
very fragrant
4. Ripe fruit color: Black to purple berries
More ID Tips:
Leave are oval, entire (smooth edges) but sometimes lobed, whereas the leaves of the native twining
honeysuckles (lonicera dioica, L. sempervirens), are always entire. The upper leaves of the invasive are distinctly
separate, whereas the native’s leaves are joined around the stem. The young stems of the invasive are finely
hairy, while the young stems of the natives are glaucous (whitish waxy covering) and hairless. Japanese
Honeysuckle tubular flowers grow in pairs and are typically white, turning to yellow as they age.
Recommended Pictures: flower, underside of leaf surface, fruit
Flowers - Photo: Chuck Bargeron, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org
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Fruit - Photo: James H. Miller & Ted Bodner, Southern Weed Science Society, Bugwood.org
Stem - Photo: James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
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Lobed and entire leaves - Photo: James H. Miller & Ted Bodner, Southern Weed Science Society, Bugwood.org
Infestation - Photo: Charles T. Bryson, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org
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Japanese Stiltgrass
Microstegium vimineum
Grass Family (Poaceae)
Annual Grass
Flowers: Sep-Nov
Native Range: Tropical Asia
Range & Habitats: Found in many States. In New England it is not known to occur in VT, NH or ME, but is
found in MA. Grows in moist forests, riparian areas and roadsides
Status on RCNWR 6/24/10: Not yet on refuge; disperses and establishes very easily; closest occurrences are in
East Central MA
Native Lookalikes: White grass (Leersia virginica)
Quick ID
1. Leaf: leaf with pale shiny midrib on upper surface
2. Stem: nodes of stems without hairy ring
3. Fruit: fruit with awn
More ID Tips:
Japanese stiltgrass is a small (up to 15 cm tall), weak-stemmed grass that sprawls along the ground, with the
growing tips pointing upwards. Leaves are 5-20 mm wide by 3-8cm long. Its lookalike whitegrass has smaller
leaves that are about 3-8 mm wide by 5-10 mm long with scabrous edges that give them a slightly rough feel.
These plants may be found growing together. The invasive generally blooms later in the fall than the native,
but there is a significant period of overlap in early autumn. Japanese stiltgrass turns bright red and often has
most of its fruits intact by mid-autumn.
Recommended Pictures: leaf with shiny midrib, lack of hairy ring on nodes of stems, fruit with awn,
infestation
Plant - Photo: James H. Miller & Ted Bodner, Southern Weed Science Society, Bugwood.org
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Fruit with awn - Photo: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Leaf with shiny midrib - Photo: James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
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Leaf - Photo: Bruce Ackley, The Ohio State University, Bugwood.org
Infestation - Photo: Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org
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Lesser Celandine a.k.a. Fig Buttercup
Ranunculus ficaria
Buttercup Family (Ranunculaceae)
Perennial Herb
Flowers: Mar-May
Native Range: Northern Europe
Range & Habitats: Throughout the northeast, west to Michigan and Missouri. Found in moist, forested
floodplains and occasionally in some drier upland areas.
Status on RCNWR 6/24/10: Unknown
Native Lookalikes: Marsh-marigold (Caltha palustris L.)
Quick ID
1. Roots: Roots with many tubers (thickened underground part of stem)
2. Stems: Bulblets forming at nodes of stems
3. Flowers: with 3 green sepals and 7-12 yellow-white petals
More ID Tips:
Lesser celandine looks similar to the native marsh-marigold. Lesser celandine however can have flowers that
are variable in color with white blotches and stripes across the petals and various doubled-flowered forms.
The lower leaves are dark green, shiny, kidney- to heart-shaped and vary greatly in size. Marsh-marigold has
neither tubers on roots, nor bulblets on stems and have 5-9 petal-like sepals.
Recommended Pictures: roots with tubers, nodes at stems, yellow-white petals
Flower - Photo: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
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Leaves - Photo: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Tubers - Photo: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Plant - Photo: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
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Goutweed
Aegopodium podagraria
Carrot Family (Apiaceae)
Creeping Perennial
Flowers: Jun
Native Range: Europe, northern Asia
Mid-Atlantic Range & Habitats: Maine to Georgia. It thrives in disturbed areas with moist soils and shade
such as disturbed forest understories, roadsides, and forest edges.
Status on RCNWR 6/24/10: Small amount currently on refuge
Lookalikes: Golden Alexander, honewort (Cryptotaenia canadensis (L.) DC.), Queen Anne’s lace (Daucus carota
L.)
Quick ID:
1. Leaves: 3 groups of 3 leaflets each, toothed edges, alternate along stems. Variegated. Leaves are the top
are smaller and have fewer leaflets
2. Flowers: flat, 5-10 cm wide clusters of tiny white flowers on stalks held above leaves
3. Seeds: Small brown seeds
More ID Tips:
Spreads via rhizomes. Dense ground cover no more than 3 ft. (1 m) tall.
Recommended Photos: variegated leaves, smaller upper leaves, flower
Variegated leaves – Photo: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
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Non-variegated variety – Photo: John M. Randall, The Nature Conservancy, Bugwood.org
Flowers – Photo: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
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Plant – Photo: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Horticultural use –
Photo: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
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Asiatic Sand Sedge
Carex kobomugi
Sedge Family (Cyperaceae)
Perennial Sedge
Flowers: Apr-Jun
Native Range: eastern Asia
Range & Habitats: Massachusetts south to North Carolina along the coast on dunes and the area between the
high tide line and the foot of the dunes.
Status on RCNWR 6/24/10: Not yet on refuge; coastal species at Ninigrit in RI
Native Lookalikes: Can be confused with other sedge species.
Quick ID:
1. Flowers: earlier than other sedges (April-June vs. late summer to fall with natives)
2. Leaves: Very fine teeth on margins that you can feel with your fingers
3. Fruits: small, triangular, and nutlike enclosed in a paper like sack
More ID Tips:
Triangular with distinct edges (like all sedges). Coarse-looking. Sends out rhizomes from which new shoots
grow. Male and female flowers are on different plants. Flowers are greenish, many held in a stubby spike on a
triangular stalk, below the tallest leaves. Plants are on average about 1 ft. (0.3 m) tall. Similar looking native
sedges flower much later in the year (late summer to fall).
Recommended Pictures: teeth on leaf margins, flowers (note date)
Flower – Photo: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
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Habit – Photo: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Infestation – Photo: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
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Spotted Knapweed
Centaurea biebersteinii
Aster Family (Asteraceae)
Herbaceous Biennial
Flowers: Summer
Native Range: Europe and western Asia
Range & Habitats: throughout US in every state except Alaska, Georgia, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas
Status on RCNWR 6/24/10: Syn.: Small stems removed from Cutts Island field. Appears to have not returned.
Native Lookalikes: other knapweeds (Centaurea L.)
Quick ID:
1.) Flowers: black-tipped bracts with fringed edges (give flower a “spotted” look), then purple bachelor’sbutton-like flowers
2.) First-year: rosette of deeply lobed leaves 8 in. (20 cm) long on short stalks
More ID Tips:
Flowering stalks have alternate leaves which are deeply lobed toward the base and smaller with fewer lobes
toward the top. Plants can grow up to 3 ft (1 m) tall. The closed flower heads are egg-shaped, surrounded by
green bracts with brown to black triangular tips with fringed ends. When opened, the petals are purple to pink
and sometimes white with 25 to 35 flowers in a head. Flowers are in clusters of 2 or 3 at the branch ends. Stout
taproot.
Recommended Pictures: flower in bloom, flowers with black fringed tips
Close flower heads - Photo: Jim Story, Montana State University, Bugwood.org
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Flower - Photo: Norman E. Rees, USDA Agricultural Research Service - Retired, Bugwood.org
Lobed base leaves - Photo: Linda Wilson, University of Idaho, Bugwood.org
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Leaf - Photo: John Cardina, The Ohio State University, Bugwood.org
Habit - Photo: L.L. Berry, Bugwood.org
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Black Swallow-wort
Cynanchum louiseae (Kartesz & Gandhi) or Vincetoxicum nigrum ([L.] Moench)
Milkweed Family (Asclepiadaceae)
Perennial Vine
Flowers: late spring to midsummer to late summer
Native Range: Ukraine and surrounding areas of Europe and Asia
Range & Habitats: restricted distribution in New England, found in moist but not wet open lands, along
roadsides, and in wooded shade
Status on RCNWR: Occurs in small amounts in Kittery, larger populations in Wells and on Spurwink River
Division.
Native lookalikes: Honeyvine (Ampelamus albidum); flowers cream or yellowish white, stems and leaves with a
milky sap, base of leaf blades heart-shaped. Angularfruit milkvine (Matelea gonocarpos)
Quick ID:
1. Flowers: loose clusters of small, purple almost black, star-shaped flowers with a central yellow disc
2. Seed pods: long, 2-3 in. (5.1-7.6 cm), and thin green pods
3. Leaves: shiny, dark green, entire, almost oval with a fine point at the end
More ID Tips:
Late summer pods dry and split, releasing feathered brown seeds like milkweed. Vines can reach 1.8 m in
height. Leaves are dark green, shiny, opposite, broad at the base and tapering to a fine point, 6.2 cm to 12.7 cm
long and up to 7.6 cm wide.
Recommended Pictures: star-shaped flowers, seed pods
Vine – Photo: Heather Faubert, University of Rhode Island, Bugwood.org
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Flower – Photo: Richard A. Casagrande, University of Rhode Island, Bugwood.org
Seed pod – Photo: Richard A. Casagrande, University of Rhode Island, Bugwood.org
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Ornamental Jewelweed
Impatiens glandulifera
Touch-me-not Family (Balsaminaceae)
Herbaceous annual
Flowers: Jun-Oct
Native Range: India
Range & Habitats: Grows in areas with high soil moistures, e.g. riparian areas. Partially shade tolerant.
Status on RCNWR 6/24/10: Not yet on refuge; primarily dispersed by people; 2 occurrences in Kittery.
Native Lookalikes: jewelweed (Impatiens capensis Meerb.)
Quick ID:
1. Flowers: 5 petals, 2 of which are fused together, pink to white to purple to red
2. Fruit: 5 sided exploding capsules with ¼ - ½ wide black seeds
3. Stems: purple tinged, swollen at nodes
More ID Tips:
Stems are purple-tinged and hollow with swollen nodes and with opposite or whorled, elliptical leaves.
Leaves are simple, serrate, and 6 in. (15.2 cm) long. Flowers are white, irregular, solitary, and appear on
axillary stalks. Fruits are five chambered capsules that, when mature, explode when touched. Can be
distinguished from native jewelweed which has yellow flowers, more coarsely serrated teeth on its leaf
margins, and smaller overall size. Ornamental jewelweed seedlings have petioles that clasp around the square
stem, whereas native jewelweed has petioles that shoot out from the round stem. The ornamental seedling
stands upright compared to the native which “lies down” over soil.
Recommended Pictures: flowers, toothed leaf margins
Serrated leaf margin – Photo: Tom Heutte, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
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Square stem – Photo: Michael Shephard, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
Flower – Photo: Barbara Tokarska-Guzik, University of Silesia, Bugwood.org
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Habit – Photo: Barbara Tokarska-Guzik, University of Silesia, Bugwood.org
Foliage – Photo: Jan Samanek, State Phytosanitary Administration, Bugwood.org
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Seedling leaf arrangement – Photo: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
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Tall or Perennial Pepperweed
Lepidium latifolium
Mustard Family (Brassicaceae)
Herbaceous Perennial
Flowers: late spring to summer
Native Range: Southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia
Range & Habitats: Coastal New England, found on riverbanks, floodplains, coastal wetlands, and marshes
and will grow in hay meadows, rangelands and along roadsides
Status on RCNWR 6/24/10: Not yet on refuge; occurrences in Portsmouth NH have been eradicated. Common
along coast in MA and on I-495
Native Lookalikes: Other pepperweeds (Lepidium L.)
Quick ID:
1. Leaves: Rosette leaves are toothed, 4-12 in. (10-30cm) long and 1-2 in. (2.5-5 cm)wide
2. Seed pods: plants die back midsummer to late summer and leave stems with dry, oval 0.15 cm
diameter seedpods covered with long hairs and bearing 2 seeds
3. Flowers: Flat dense cluster made up of thousands of white, 4-petaled flowers
More ID Tips:
Forms dense stands, grows 1-5 ft. (0.3 to 1.5 m) tall. Begins to grow in late fall to early spring, forming a rosette
of leaves for several weeks before flowering and setting fruit from late spring into summer. Alternate stem
leaves are much smaller than rosette leaves, oblong, and with no or few teeth along the margins. Leaves are
green to gray-green.
Recommended Pictures: leaves, seedpods
Infestation – Photo: Sarah Janson, Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, Newburyport, MA, US FWS, DOI
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Infestation and flowers – Photo: Sarah Janson, Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, Newburyport, MA, US
FWS, DOI
Rosette leaves – Photo: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
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Roots – Photo: Steve Dewey, Utah State University, Bugwood.org
Rosette – Photo: Steve Dewey, Utah State University, Bugwood.org
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Plant – Photo: Steve Dewey, Utah State University, Bugwood.org
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Privets
Ligustrum spp.
Olive Family (Oleaceae)
Shrub
* *At least 8 spp. have invaded North America. They are difficult to tell apart.
Flowers: Apr-Jun
Native Range: Europe, Asia, and northern Africa
Range & Habitats: Border privet (L. obtusifolium), European privet (L. vulgare), California privet (L. ovalifolium),
Amur privet (L. amurense), and Chinese privet (L. sinense) occur from New England south. Common privet is
found across much of the United States. Privets grow along woodland edges, in floodplains, old fields,
riparian forests, and upland forests. Tolerant of some shade and of occasional drought.
Status on RCNWR 6/24/10: Inc. Ligustrum obtusifolium, L. vulgare, L. ovalifolium, and possibly other
species; low number currently on refuge
Native lookalikes: N/A
Quick ID:
1. Leaves: leathery, semi-evergreen to evergreen, oppositely arranged, less than 6.2 cm long and oval with
a glossy green surface
2. Flowers: plumes of tiny white flowers with a fused based breaking up into 4 petals appear at the end of
twigs
3. Fruit: blue-black berries in fall
More ID Tips:
Grow up to 15 ft (4.6 m) tall. European privet’s leaves have short stalks, are smooth underneath and are
oppositely arranged. From May through June clusters of small, white flowers bloom. Chinese privet also has
opposite leaves that are evergreen to semi-evergreen leaves and hairy on the midrib underneath; flowers from
April through June.
Recommended Pictures: leaves, flowers, fruits, full picture of shrub
Border privet – Photos: Photo: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, IPANE
37
California Privet – Photo: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Glossy privet – Photo: James H. Miller & Ted Bodner, Southern Weed Science Society, Bugwood.org
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Chinese Privet – Photo: James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
Chinese privet – Photo: James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
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Mile-A-Minute Vine
Polygonum perfoliatum
Knotweed Family (Polygonaceae)
Annual vine
Native Range: India, China, Japan, and eastern Asia
Range & Habitats: found throughout Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, colonizes road embankments, fallow fields,
young forests, streams, moist meadows, and recently cut timberland. Tolerates partial shade but prefers
sunlight.
Status on RCNWR 6/24/10: Not yet on refuge; dispersed by people and probably birds; currently known from
the Boston, MA area and north central MA
Native Lookalikes: halberdleaf tearthumb (P.arifolium L.), and arrow-vine (P. sagittatum L.)
Quick ID:
1. Stems: small downward-turned spines
2. Leaves: equilateral triangles, 1 to 3 in. (2.5 to 7.6 cm) wide
3. Ocreas: cuplike leafy structures that grow along the stem
More ID Tips:
Small white flowers bloom from ocreas which later produce metallic blue, pea-sized fruits inside of which are
dark seeds. Can grow to 15 ft. (4.6 m). Arrow-vine and halberdleaved tearthumb look similar but do not have
the distinctive ocreas.
Pictures: triangular leaves, dark blue fruits, ocreas
Leaves – Photo: Jil M. Swearingen, National Park Service, Center for Urban Ecology, Washington, DC
40
Infestation: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Ocrea - Jil M. Swearingen, USDI National Park Service, www.invasive.org
Fruit - Leslie J. Mehroff, IPANE http://www.massnrc.org/pests/pestFAQsheets/mileaminute.html
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Kudzu
Pueraria montana var. lobata
Pea Family (Fabaceae)
Vine
Flowers: Midsummer
Native Range: Japan, China
Range & Habitats: currently growing from Pennsylvania south to Florida and west onto Nebraska and in
Texas. Found in Oregon and Washington. Found in Marblehead, MA. Adapts to a variety of soils but thrives in
areas with hot humid summers and mild winters with annual average rainfall above 40 in. (100cm).
Status on RCNWR 6/24/10: Not yet on refuge; no clear dispersal mechanism; currently known from
Marblehead, MA
Native Lookalikes: Some members of the pea family.
Quick ID:
1. Leaves: 3 leaflets up to 4 in. (10 cm) wide, 2 to 3 lobes. Sometimes unlobed.
2. Flowers: 0.5 in. (1.3 cm) long, purple, highly fragrant, borne in long hanging clusters in midsummer
3. Seedpods: brown, hairy, flat; 2 to 10 hard seeds
More ID Tips:
Taproots can grow up to 6 ft. (1.8 m) in length. Vines will cover and consume trees, buildings, and power lines.
Leaves have hairy margins and grow alternately along the stems. Leaves often hide the flowers.
Recommended Pictures: leaves, flowers, extent of infestation
Stems – Photo: James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
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Flower – Photo: James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
Leaves – Photo: USDA Forest Service - Region 8 - Southern Archive, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
43
Leaf and flower – Photo: David J. Moorhead, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org
Infestation – Photo: James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
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Flowering Rush
Butomus umbellatus
Flowering Rush Family (Butomaceae)
Aquatic
Flowers: Jun-Aug
Native Range: Eurasia
Range & Habitats: Canada and northern United States, found along lakeshores and slow-moving rivers, in
water up to 9 ft. deep
Status on RCNWR 6/24/10: Unknown
Native Lookalikes: bulrush (Isolepis R. Br., Schoenoplectus (Rchb.) Palla , Scirpus L. and Trichophorum Pers.) and
true rushes (Juncus L.) when not in flower
Quick ID:
1. Leaves: thin, straight, sword-shaped, triangular in cross-section, up to 40 in. long
2. Flowers: grown on tall, cylindrical stalks in round-topped umbrella-like clusters of 20-50 flowers, 3
pink to white petals each
3. Bulbils: little bulb-like sprouts may be at the base of flower stalks and at the roots
More ID Tips:
Reproduces primarily through rhizomes. Plant grows 1-5 ft. tall.
Recommended Pictures: cross section of stem, leaves, flowers, roots
Flowers – Photo: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
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Flower - Photo: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Roots - Photo: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
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Habit and Inflorescence - Photos: Richard A. Howard Image Collection, courtesy of Smithsonian Institution.
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Porcelainberry a.k.a. Amur Peppervine
Ampelopsis brevipedunculata
Grape Family (Vitaceae)
Woody Vine
Flowers: May-Aug
Native Range: Russia, China, Korea, Japan
Range & Habitats: Moist woods, thickets and floodplains; currently in NH and MA
Status on RCNWR: Not on refuge
Native Lookalikes: Native Grapes (Vitis spp.), common hops
Quick ID:
1. Leaf Undersides: Hairs present ONLY on the veins, not on the leaf surface
2. Fruit Color: White, turning blue or purple, with white flesh
3. Bark: Bark of mature vines NOT peeling in narrow, papery strips
4. Pith: White
More ID Tips:
Flat or round arrangement of flowers. Fruit has white starchy flesh with an odor resembling sweet corn.
Recommended Pictures: Leaf shape, underside of leaf w/ hairs, fruit bunch, fruit flesh, bark, pith
Fruits - Photo: James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
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Bark - Photo: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Habit - Photo: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Lobed leaves - Photo: James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
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Underside of leaves - Photo: Rebekah D. Wallace, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org
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Yellow Flag Iris
Iris pseudacorus L.
Iris Family (Iridaceae)
Perennial Herb
Flowers: May-Jul
Native Range: Europe, North and West Africa
Range & Habitats: Marshes, wet meadows, shores. Found in eastern half of United States and Canada, West
coast north to British Columbia and east to Utah.
Status on RCNWR: Found on refuge in Wells, June 2011
Native Lookalikes: Northern Blue Flag Iris (Iris versicolor L.)
Quick ID:
1. Flower color: Yellow
2. Fruit: Capsule 6-angled
3. Fruit: Capsule opening at maturity into 3 widely spreading segments
More ID Tips:
Flowering stem shorter than or equal to height of the leaves; slightly narrower leaves than blue flag iris, so
flowering or fruiting ID recommended. Inside of roots are pinkish.
Recommended Pictures: Flower, fruit capsule, entire plant
Habit - Photo: Todd Pfeiffer, Klamath County Weed Control, Bugwood.org
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Flower – Photo: Nancy Loewenstein, Auburn University, Bugwood.org
Pinkish roots - Photo: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Seed pods - Photo: Joseph M. DiTomaso, University of California - Davis, Bugwood.org
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Hardy Kiwi
Actinidia arguta
Kiwifruit Family (Actinidiaceae)
Deciduous Woody Vine
Flowers: pale green/white and clustered on axis of leaf
Native Range: East Asia - North Korea, China, Japan
Range & Habitats: Forests – uses trees as natural trellis. Infestations known in Lenox and Stockbridge, MA.
Status on RCNWR: Not on refuge
Native Lookalikes: n/a
Quick ID:
1. Leaves: alternate, simple leaves with finely-toothed wavy margins and red petioles
2. Flowers: pale green/white, clustered in the leaf axils
3. Fruit: green, grape-shaped, smooth; inside resembles kiwifruit
More ID Tips:
Mature bark is gray and flaky (differentiates hardy kiwi from Oriental Bittersweet). Grows under closed
canopy. Climbs and eventually takes down trees with its weight, then spreads to surrounding trees for
support.
Recommended Pictures: Leaf and petiole, fruit, flower
http://www.vermontlocalroads.org/Workshop%20Materials/invasive%20plant%20management/hardykiwi.
pdf
http://www.massaudubon.org/PDF/invasive_species/hardykiwipestalert.pdf
Fruit - Photo: Björn Appel, Actinidia arguta, Wikipedia.com
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Finely toothed leaves - Photo: Björn Appel, Actinidia arguta, Wikipedia.com
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Infestation - Photo: Sten Porse, Actinidia arguta, Beder, Jutland, Wikipedia.com
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Sources:
Kaufman, S.R. and W. Kaufman. Invasive Plants: Guide to Identification and the Impacts and Control of Common
North American Species. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. 2007.
Mehrhoff, L. J., J. A. Silander, Jr., S. A. Leicht, E. S. Mosher and N. M. Tabak. 2003.
IPANE: Invasive Plant Atlas of New England. Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology,
University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA.< http://www.ipane.org>.
Randall, J.M. and Marinelli, J. (Ed.) Invasive Plants: Weed of the Global Garden. New York: Brooklyn Botanic
Gardens. 1996.
Sarver, M.,Treher, A., Wilson, L., Naczi, R. and F. Kuehn. Mistaken Identity? Invasive Plants and their Native Lookalikes: An Identification Guide for the Mid-Atlantic. Delaware: Delaware Department Agriculture. 2008.
USDA, NRCS. 2012. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 2 July 2012). National Plant Data Team,
Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA.
Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources and College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences,
Department of Entomology. “Invasive.org: Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health.”
University of Georgia. Last updated on Sep 28, 2011. <www.invasive.org>.
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