Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas - National Park Service
Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas - National Park Service
Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas - National Park Service
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HERBACEOUS FORBS<br />
Bill Johnson<br />
Distribution and Habitat<br />
Habitats invaded include open woodlands, prairies, roadsides,<br />
ditches, and other disturbed areas.<br />
Ecological Threat<br />
Dame’s rocket displaces native plant species.<br />
Description and Biology<br />
• <strong>Plant</strong>: herbaceous, biennial forb up to 4 ft. in height.<br />
• Leaves: alternate, hairy, broadly lanceolate with toothed margins,<br />
sessile or nearly so, 2-6 in. long.<br />
• Flowers, fruits and seeds: flowers showy, fragrant, white to<br />
purple or pink with 4 petals in a cross; late spring; fruits slender,<br />
cylindrical and arch upwards.<br />
• Spreads: by seed.<br />
• Look-alikes: might be confused with wild blue phlox ( Phlox<br />
divaricata), fall phlox (Phlox paniculata) and non-native annual<br />
honesty (Lunaria annua).<br />
Prevention and Control<br />
Do not purchase or plant this species. Individual plants can be pulled<br />
by hand if soil is moist or dug up using a spade or shovel to loosen the<br />
soil and remove the entire root system. Re-sprouting may occur if<br />
entire root system is not removed. Systemic herbicides can be used to<br />
kill the entire plant including the roots (see Control Options).<br />
Native Alternatives<br />
Ox-eye sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides), Canada lily (Lilium<br />
canadense), wood lily (Lilium philadelphicum), Turk’s cap lily<br />
(Lilium superbum), and three-lobed coneflower (Rudbeckia triloba)<br />
are just a few showy native perennials that would make good<br />
substitutes for dame’s rocket.<br />
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