Yucca Removal Success

I took a little time to evaluate the success of my earlier efforts to eradicate Yucca from my fields.  Dead stumps where I had cut the stem and applied glyphosate to the exposed tissue.  This photo was taken in October, about six months after herbicide applications were made.  In most cases, there seemed to be a total kill of Yucca plants.

In a very few cases, there was some regrowth, but regrowth was not the normal situation.  It won’t take a lot of effort to go through to cut and spray the young shoots.  For the next few years an annual check will have to be made to find new plants growing from seed.  New plants will be a possibility for quite some time, but it should be fairly easy to keep the area practically Yucca free.

I only had time to cover about two-thirds of the Yucca infected area before I had to move on to higher priority management activities.  I finished my work in the open field and then began working my way down a cedar filled waterway.  This is where I stopped and this is where I will begin next March.  Weather permitting, I will have eliminated Yucca from the area by next April 1.

One thing I hadn’t expected was the ability of the cut plants to continue growing.  This is what my plant pile looked like after six months.

 

The Whitetail Deer treat it as a salad bar.  I never saw this much deer browse on the Yucca in the field.  Young Yucca shoots must be more palatable to the deer.

Pulling a shoot out of the pile reveals white roots growing from the cut stem.  This illustrates a good reason for removing the cut plants from the field as they are treated.  The Yucca may flourish in the pile for a couple of years, but I am always adding to these piles, so the plants will eventually be covered and smothered by other plant material.

 

Interesting Items Found While Working on Fall Projects

When actively engaged in management tasks, I’m unlikely to stop to take photos.  Completing the activity of the day is usually considered a higher priority than documenting what I do or see.  However, at times when there are natural breaks in the work, I’m quite likely to pull my little Canon G11 from its belt holster and capture some of the interesting items that catch my eye.  Most of the photos illustrate changes that have occurred as a result of my land management activities over the last few decades.  The Little Ladies-tresses, Spiranthes ovalis, is a good example.  This uncommon orchid was represented at Blue Jay Barrens by only a few individuals 30 years ago.  It is now seen commonly across dozens of acres each fall.

One of my favorite plants, Indian Pipe, Monotropa uniflora, was in abundance this year.  These plants are parasites on fungi and have no chlorophyll.  The new stalks are bright white and almost appear self-illuminated against the background of forest floor leaves.

Carolina Buckthorn was once listed as a potentially threatened species in Ohio.  Being a species of the South-eastern United States, its range just reaches into the southern counties of Ohio.  In 1990 Blue Jay Barrens supported just two small populations of this species, with one of those populations consisting of a single individual.  With the removal of non-native invasive shrubs, Carolina Buckthorn seedlings had a chance to become established and flourish.  Mature fruit bearing individuals are now common and seedlings are coming up everywhere.

Flowering Dogwood was eliminated from the Blue Jay Barrens woodlands when Dogwood Anthracnose decimated the population in the early 1990’s.  A few small specimens survived in the open fields and have been producing fruit and seed for many years now.  Mature dogwoods are finally beginning to recolonize the woodland.  The red and orange of their autumn leaves is hard to miss.

I’m unsure of the seed source, but young American Beech are becoming more common in the woods.  I’m happy to see this occurring since one of the historic hardwood mixes in this area was the Beech-Maple forest.  There is no shortage of Sugar Maple here and it would be nice to see a few mature Beech mixed in.

Partridge Berry is another species that has expanded its number greatly in the past few decades.  Historic grazing of cattle in the woodlands is one probable cause of this plant’s early rarity.  The absence of cattle during the past 35 years has resulted in much improved woodland soil conditions.

Fungi of many species were apparent this year.  One of the most noticeable was this Orange Fungus,   Mycena leaiana.  The orange fruiting bodies emerging from fallen logs rivaled the fluorescent blaze of the brightest hunting jacket.

Above average rainfall coupled with a forest of dead ash trees results in an abundance of fungi.  I believe this to be a polypore known as Dryad’s Saddle.

I must have appeared as though I was ready to collapse, because a large mixed flock of Turkey and Black Vultures moved in and began circling directly above me.  It was early morning, so the most likely explanation for the gathering was the development of a thermal current allowing the birds to ride the rising warm air to higher altitudes.  These thermals are common in areas where the rising sun warms bare southeast facing hillsides.  I’ve been known to generate a lot of body heat while working, but I doubt that it’s enough to change the atmospheric conditions above me.

Except for the early spring breeding congregations, Wood Frogs are seldom seen.  I’ve seen several during the past couple of months, possibly due to the uncommonly frequent rains during that time.

Spring Peepers have also been conspicuous this fall.  It’s not uncommon to hear a peeper or two calling on the first few cool days of autumn.  This year has been no exception.

The Giant Cranefly, Tipula abdominalis, is an impressive insect.  The larvae of this species live in upland streams where they feed on decomposing leaves.  Adults are typically found in woodlands, not far from the streams in which they once lived.

Jumping Bristletails are often referred to as prehistoric insects because they have remained relatively unchanged since their emergence approximately 390 million years ago.  My early elementary school days were filled with plans to become a paleontologist, so anything that may have walked with the dinosaurs still draws my attention.

Wooly Bears are the larva form of the Isabella Tiger Moth.  In my lifetime I’ve seen thousands of these caterpillars on the ground, in a hurry to get from one place to another.  This photo documents the first time I have ever seen a member of this species feeding.  In this case the caterpillar is feeding on the upper leaves of a Tall Boneset plant.

This is a female Carolina Leafroller Cricket.  These insects are generally considered common, but seldom seen creatures.  Part of the reason is their nocturnal habit, meaning that their active period is at night.  The rest of the reason is their method of hiding during the day.  As suggested by the name, the Carolina Leafroller Cricket spends its day rolled up in a leaf, making it extremely hard to find.  This individual seems to have been slowed down by an unusually cold night, and is warming itself in the first of the morning sunlight.

The tiny Pygmy Grasshopper is liable to show up anywhere at Blue Jay Barrens.  An adult specimen may grow to be as much as half an inch in length.  I don’t know that I would ever be successful at finding one by searching, but chance provides many encounters each year.

I regularly see Northern Fence Lizards, but I don’t always get out the camera during such encounters.  This time I noticed a fly on the leaf in front of the lizard’s head.  Thinking I had a chance of capturing an image of the lizard at the moment it captured the fly, I got my camera ready.  Unfortunately, things didn’t work out as imagined.

The fly flew and the lizard gave me what seems very much like an accusing look.

Eastern Box Turtles are opportunistic breeders.  They have no pheromones or calls to bring a couple together.  Breeding occurs when two individuals sharing a like mood happen to meet.  Females are capable of storing sperm for many months and using it when needed, so a positive encounter can take place long before the egg laying season.  I’ve seen an increasing number hatchling Box Turtles during the past few years, suggesting that the population is doing well.

 

Yucca Removal

Yucca, Yucca filamentosa, has slowly been encroaching on one of my prairie areas.  Yucca filamentosa is a North American native plant originally confined to the south-eastern portion of the United States.  It is considered to be a naturalized species in Ohio, with populations generally spreading from sites of human habitation where Yucca was planted for such uses as food, medicine or ornamental purposes.  Since I manage for native populations, the Yucca, non-native in my area, has always been on my list of plants to eradicate, but there have always been more serious matters for me to deal with.  A few years ago I began to notice new Yucca populations popping up hundreds of feet from the original infestation.  That discovery caused me to move Yucca removal to a higher level on my priority list.  After a couple of years testing treatment methods, I began in March 2020 to eliminate Yucca from Blue Jay Barrens on a large scale.

The long pointed leaves have fibrous strands that give the plant a rather worn look.  These are the filaments from which its scientific name derives.  The leaf edges can sometimes be abrasive and the leaf tips are often sharp.  I got plenty of scrapes and pinpoint wounds while dealing with this plant.

The vertical stem is generally quite short, but can sometimes reach up to a foot in height.  The leaves grow in a whorl from the stem with new growth coming from the tip.  The old leaves die to form a thick mulch that eliminates any competing plants from growing near the Yucca.

Here is the point of original infestation.  This open hilltop allowed for seeds to easily spread down hill.

I thought the origin site to be an excellent beginning point for Yucca eradication.  Especially since I have a well used walking trail running along the edge of this area and I was tired of seeing Yucca every time I went by.

From the top of the hill, Yucca spread down the slope to the west.

With this area cleared, I really had to stretch my neck to see any Yucca from the trail.

Yucca spread out near the base of the hill.  All cut Yucca plants were moved to a brush pile seen just to the right of the center of this photo.

At this point, all Yucca plants in the prairie area have been removed.  Those plants showing on the right side of the photo were removed the day after this picture was taken.

 As I cut off the Yucca plants, I piled the tops for future collection.

Cut plants were loaded onto a tarp and dragged out of the field.  Fortunately it was a down hill drag to the brush pile.

This pile, roughly six feet high and twelve feet wide, was made of plants cut from about one acre of prairie.  The pile will quickly shrink in size as the plants decompose.

Deer will generally not browse Yucca plants.  However, they seem to very much like the stems and treat the brush pile as a huge feeding station.  Individual plants are pulled out of the pile by the deer. They dine on the normally unreachable stem and leave the tops strewn about, sometimes a long distance from the pile.  Cut Yucca plants will easily root and continue growing if left on the ground, so I have to periodically gather up the tops and replace them on the brush pile.

I’ve removed Yucca from about one and a half acres of open prairie.  I still have about a half acre of Yucca growing in a shaded drainage area.  Other priorities have temporarily taken me away from this work, but I hope to continue the Yucca removal job later in the summer.  At a minimum, I will cut the flower stalks to eliminate seed production for this year.

A clump of mature Yucca plants appears to be a formidable adversary, but pushing aside the lower leaves reveals a soft underbelly.  Although the stems may reach a diameter of two inches, they are very soft.  I had no trouble slicing the stem with a pair of standard hand pruners, often severing the stem by simply pushing the pruner blade on through.

Removing the cut plant reveals the severed stems surrounded by a dead zone resulting from shading by the Yucca leaves.  In some of the larger clumps, lateral stems were poised to add to the size of the colony.  All parts of the stem in contact with the ground produce roots, so each new stem could become a standalone plant.  The roots are reddish in color and can be seen near the cut stems.

After cutting, I applied concentrated glyphosate, typically a 41% solution, to each cut stem.  Not knowing if the glyphosate would effectively eliminate the developing stems, I cut the tip from each young stem and treated it with glyphosate.  In my earlier trials, this method proved to be nearly 100% effective in killing the entire plant.

I treated a wide range of plant sizes.  Large plants were the easiest to find, cut and treat.  Smaller sized plants, such as that shown just below the large cut stem in the photo, were harder to locate.

Over the next few years I’m sure to be dealing with many small plants that evaded my search, but I’m sure the days of a widespread Yucca invasion are over. 

Pulling Wild Carrots

The flower head of the Wild Carrot, Daucus carota, is made up of myriad small individual flowers, each capable of yielding a single seed. Since each plant is capable of producing multiple flower heads, a single plant may produce hundreds or even thousands of viable seeds. This may be a lovely proposition for those wishing to expand their population of Wild Carrots, but it can be a headache for people trying to manage areas as native ecosystems. My management efforts aim towards creating conditions that favor the growth and spread of native species. While Wild Carrot may be attractive and a favorite of many people, it is not native to North America and can act to degrade areas into which it invades. In order to protect and improve the native integrity of Blue Jay Barrens, I remove non-native species from the property and that includes ridding the fields of Wild Carrot.

The Wild Carrot is not the only invasive species I work to eradicate during the summer months. Sweet Clover, Teasel and Oxeye Daisy are also on my list of invasive plants to be pulled during the summer months, but they mature at different times through the summer, so multiple visits must be made to each management site during the year.  The photo above shows a collection of plants pulled from a small Prairie area during the first week of June. Plants on the left are Sweet Clover, those in the middle are Oxeye Daisy, and the small pile on the right side is Wild Carrot. Wild Carrot is just becoming noticeable in June as its developing flower stalk begins to elongate.

By the time August 1^st arrives, Wild Carrot plants are a few feet tall and supporting a nice collection of white flowers. All pulled plants are gathered up and placed on an existing brush pile. It wouldn’t hurt anything to leave the plants in place to rot down naturally on the prairie, but doing that makes it difficult to see all of the plants that have not yet been pulled.  I don’t want to risk leaving plants in place that are going to produce seed for future generations. Besides, I enjoy finishing work on a site and then immediately viewing the area in its improved condition.

I always carry a camera with me while I’m working and try to get a few before and after shots. Often the camera doesn’t come out of its holster because I’m racing to finish an area before I run out of time, or I’m sweating so profusely that I’m afraid I’ll ruin the camera if I try to use it. I did make a special effort to take this shot on a fine August morning when the temperature reached 90° F by 10 AM. This is a small section of a 1 acre opening that had never before received any carrot pulling treatment. My success in eliminating invasive summer forbs means that each year I have time to add new areas into my work schedule.

This is the same area with carrots removed. Within a few years the area should pretty much look this way without my having to spend hours pulling carrots.

Wide area shots of these prairie openings rarely show the diversity of plant species present. Spiranthes orchids, such as this pair of Slender Ladies’ Tresses, Spiranthes lacera, were particularly abundant this year.  They are but one of many interesting little species hidden in the tall grass.

Pulling is an effective way of eliminating Wild Carrots because of the plant’s biennial growth habit. The lifespan of the plant is two years. During the first year the plant forms a cluster of basal leaves and establishes its taproot. The abundance of first year plants such as the one shown above gives a good idea of the expanse of plants to be expected in the next year.

A flower stalk develops in the second year. Following pollination, seeds begin to develop as the flower head closes in on itself. Pulling the plants eliminates seed production and reduces the number of flowering plants you will see two years later. Mature seeds that become incorporated into the soil may remain viable for five or six years. Seeds that remain on or near the surface of the soil generally parish if they do not germinate within a couple years. When you begin pulling plants on a new site it takes two years before you really begin to see the positive results of your actions.

Like many plant species that evolved in areas subject to grazing by herd animals, the Wild Carrot has a weak spot in its stem located roughly at the soil surface. If the stem is given a quick pull it breaks at this weak point instead of having its root pulled out of the ground. Just below this breakpoint is a cluster of buds ready to immediately begin producing new flower stalks if the top of the plant is lost. On most occasions, a steady pull will bring the plant up root and all. When you have a particularly tenacious plant or are working in ground that is extremely dry and hard, the carrot often breaks at its weak point. When this happens, I normally use my hand pruners to cut the plant off down into the root slightly below the ground level to avoid the rapid regrowth shown in the photo above.

Often it’s impossible to find the plant stump and regrowth is inevitable. This plant produced two flower heads within four weeks of the plant originally being pulled and broken off at its weak point. I try to make a run through my work areas at 4 to 5 week intervals to catch late developing plants or regrowth situations such as shown here.

Browsing animals, primarily Whitetail Deer, typically bite the plant off well above the soil surface. Browsed plants are particularly difficult to see when you make your first pass through an area, but quickly produce new flower stalks and often account for the majority of late-season flowers.

I found many mature plants that were lying flat on the ground instead of standing in an upright position, making them particularly hard to see. This was primarily a phenomenon of partially shaded areas near the field edges. In the above photo you can see two flower clusters almost at ground-level.  One plant stem comes from the lower right-hand corner the photo and arcs leftward to one of the flower heads and a second plant stem comes from the lower left-hand corner of the photo in a rightward arc to a second flower head. Despite their horizontal growth, both plants are still perfectly capable of producing viable seeds.

This particular area has received a lot of attention in the past few years. A mid-July photo shows no Sweet Clover, no Teasel, and no Wild Carrot. It shouldn’t be too many more years before all the areas have reached this level of control.

I always find a lot of interesting things while I am working and try to stop occasionally to take a few photos. One day I found a number of Poison Ivy Sawflies, Arge humeralis, feeding on the carrot flowers. They were impossible to miss with the sun shining off those bright red abdomens. I’m much more used to seeing the sawfly larvae, so I was pleased to get the opportunity to observe the adults.

The following day, I continued to see adult sawflies, but now I was seeing a different species. On this day it was the Sumac Sawfly, Arge coccinea, that seemed to have staked a claim to the local wild carrot flowers.

Every year I see a couple of Black Swallowtail butterfly larvae feeding on the wild carrots. I took this one and moved it onto a cluster of nearby first year basal leaves.  If they want to continue breeding at Blue Jay Barrens, they will have to select one of their few native host plants.