Invasives
Japanese Knotweed (Fallopia japonica)
Japanese knotweed is a tall herbaceous perennial that can grow to over 10 feet in height. As with all members of this family, the base of the stem above each joint is surrounded by a membranous sheath. The stems are smooth, stout and swollen at joints where the leaf meets…
Japanese Stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum)
Japanese stiltgrass, native to East Asia, is an annual grass that can grow 5-6 feet in length, but the arching stems make it appear shorter. The name “stiltgrass” comes from the weak, prop-like roots which pull easily out of the ground. The 3” lance-shaped leaves are limy-green and taper at…
Kudzu (Pueraria montana ssp. lobata)
Kudzu, known as “the plant that ate the south” is a perennial, semi-woody vine that can reach 100 feet in length. The alternate, compound leaves consist of three broad leaflets, which are hairy on the undersides and 4-6 inches in length. The clusters of purple flowers, which have a grape-like…
Mile-a-minute Vine (Persicaria perfoliata)
*If found report here to Mass. Dept. of Agricultural Resources (MDAR). Mile-a-minute is an annual scrambling vine native to Asia that can grow to 25 feet in length. Small, curved barbs cover the stem, petioles, and leaf undersides. These sharply pointed barbs can rip clothing and skin. The plant’s bluish-green…
Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora)
Multiflora rose is a thorny, perennial shrub with arching stems (canes), and leaves divided into five to eleven sharply toothed leaflets. The base of each leaf stalk bears a pair of fringed bracts. Beginning in May or June clusters of showy, fragrant, white to pink flowers appear, each about an…
Narrow-leaf Bittercress (Cardamine impatiens)
Narrow-leaf bittercress is an herbaceous annual or biennial plant that can reach two feet in height. When narrow-leaf bittercress occurs as a biennial, the first year’s growth is a basal rosette of leaves. In the second year, it produces a flowering stem. The basal leaves of the plant are deeply…
Oriental Bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus)
Oriental bittersweet is a deciduous woody perennial plant which grows as a climbing vine and a trailing shrub. Mature plants can attain stem widths of 4 inches in diameter and grow as high as 60 feet into trees. The leaves are alternate, glossy, nearly as wide as they are long…
Porcelain berry (Ampelopsis brevipedunculata)
Porcelain berry is a deciduous, woody vine that can closely resemble native grape species. It is also known as amur peppervine and is native to Japan and northern China. It was imported as an ornamental plant in the late 19th century. The vines can climb to 20 feet or more…
Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)
Purple loosestrife is an erect perennial herb in the loosestrife family, with a square, woody stem and opposite or whorled leaves. Leaves are lance-shaped, stalkless, and heart-shaped or rounded at the base. Plants are usually covered by a downy pubescence. Loosestrife plants grow from four to ten feet high, depending…
Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius)
Scotch broom is a perennial shrub with many angular branches. It has showy yellow flowers and is part of the pea family. It is native to Europe and was introduced to North America in the 1800s where is was widely planted on Cape Cod and the islands in the 1800s…