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Invasive Plants

Grass like flower heads with small purple flowers
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Purple Loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria, grows in wet areas like the edge of lakes, ditches and marshes.

Serome Hamlin explores the Lower Appomattox River Trail in Petersburg with Elise Neuscheler from Friends of the Lower Appomattox to learn about a volunteer based effort to remove invasives and  repair the riparian buffer.

Peggy Singlemann visits Ashburn to talk with Mike Littman about the work of the Loudoun Invasive Removal Alliance to bring area HOA’s together and raise awareness about the environmental and economic threats from invasive plant species.

Shana Williams shares tips to keep aggressive growing mint from taking over a garden and Amyrose Foll explains how to remove English ivy from trees.

Studio Extra:

Peggy is joined by Sean Proietti from the Maymont Foundation to discuss native plant replacements for common ornamental plants that are now considered invasive.

Invasive: Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana)
Replacement: Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea)

Invasive: English ivy (Hedera helix)
Replacement: Crossvine (Bignonia capreolata)

Invasive: Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense)
Replacement: Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria)

Invasive: Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata)
Replacement: Bayberry (Morella spp.)

Invasive: Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii)
Replacement: Loropetalum (Loropetalum chinense ‘Purple Daydream’)
(Note this is not a native plant, but it is non-invasive and will not spread)

Invasive: Silvergrass (Miscanthus spp.)
Replacement: Switch Grass (Panicum virgatum ‘Cloud Nine’)

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