Bindweed has thin thread-like vines that wrap themselves tightly around plants or other upward objects.Ĭontrol Bindweed by boiling water and pouring the hot water into infested areas. These buds allow it to regenerate any broken pieces of the primary root. Bindweed also has an extensive root system that contains many perennial buds (located at the nodes of the roots). It thrives in poorly drained clay soil often found along fence rows, roadsides, and fields with exposed subsoils.īindweed can grow through the tiniest of cracks or seams in the pavement therefore, it can be challenging to kill. Flowers are white and appear in clusters near the middle of the plant.īindweed grows very low and forms dense mats in lawns and pastures. Scientific name: Convolvulus arvenisīindweed is a perennial weed identified by its bright green, hairless stems and arrowhead-shaped leaves with scalloped edges. This invasive weed has flowers that are quite beautiful. Once established, these weeds prove challenging to remove, making it better to use preventive measures in areas you plan to succeed. The bitter-tasting leaves are pointed, oval, and grow about two inches long. These perennial plants thrive in lawns and sports fields mature vines may reach four inches in diameter. It can adapt to most habitats but is more common in moist or wet soils on sunny sites. The introduced Asiatic Bittersweet is invasive, and very difficult to prevent from coming back.Īsiatic bittersweet prefers areas with thin or no vegetation cover, such as roadsides or abandoned farmlands. Keep in mind we are not referring tot he Amrican bittersweet, which is native to the United States. it’s quite invasive and can cause major problems for both homes and garden spaces. Round yellow fruits and red berries can identify it. Scientific name: Celastrus orbiculatusĪsiatic bittersweet is a perennial weed that has small, orange berries. Try to use a local ecotype if possible when restoring native vegetation in an area.Asiatic Bittersweet The bittersweet can be toxic to both humans and animals alike. Several varieties of big blue are available from commercial seed producers. Fertilizer is generally not recommended, as it typically promotes weedy competition. The higher rates are generally used for erosion control and grazing. For wildlife (quail) habitat establishment, use the lower rate. Seeding rate for big bluestem ranges from 4 to 12 pounds per acre, depending on future use. It is very important to kill all non-native pasture grasses prior to planting native warm season grasses. A native seed no-till drill may also be used. It is best established by conventional tillage, if possible. In the longleaf pine ecosystem, the perennial big bluestem contributes to the fine flashy fuel needed for the maintenance of the ecosystem.īluestem can be used in the restoration of native vegetation in agricultural or pasture areas. Bobwhite quail and other ground-nesting birds use this clump-forming grass for nesting and forage cover. As with the other bluestems, big blue also provides excellent wildlife habitat. This species is also a good native choice for grazing forage and is very palatable to livestock. Once it has been established, however, it provides excellent stability for sandy areas. Big blue is commonly used in erosion control plantings although it is sometimes slow to get started. However, it can tolerate a wide variety of well-drained soils and typically does well on low fertility sites. “Big blue” as it is commonly called is a climax prairie species.

Individual seed heads often have three spikelets that look like a turkey foot. The seed head is coarse and not fluffy as in other bluestems. The rhizomes are short and scaly and the color of the leaves varies from light yellow-green to burgundy. This species is large and robust as bluestems go, with mature plants commonly reaching 6 to 8 feet in height. It is found from the mid-western short grass prairies to the coastal plain, where it naturally serves as fuel for periodic fire.

Big bluestem ( Andropogon gerardii)īig bluestem is a warm-season grass native to the eastern two thirds of the United States.

Photo by Sally and Andy Wasowski, Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center. Photos by Jennifer Anderson, USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database.įlowering big bluestem and syrphid fly. States are colored green where the species may be found.Īndropogon gerardii.

Types of blue stem grass