28 Mar, 2012 Author: Glorianna Davenport
This year spring has come early. Over the summer and fall 2011, Irina Kadis and Alexey Zinovjev at Salicicola.com made great progress assembling a visual database of plants found on Tidmarsh Farms. Together, we are working to develop our long term plant strategy for the restoration effort, a strategy that will favor native plants of Plymouth County. We are also developing a short term (2 year) strategy to reduce the number of invasive and introduced plants on the property.
Today, Irina and Alexey are training a small cadre of volunteers to identify and mark the woody species that whose populations concern us the most: multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora), Marrow's honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowii), oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculata), rusty and ash willow (Salix atrocinerea and cinerea). Once marked, these will be cut back and otherwise treated to reduce flowering and seed production.
Rusty and ash willows are becoming the dominant willow species of the region at the expense of native varieties. How did this happen. Originally from Europe and Eastern Europe, these species were sold and planted as landscape specimens for many years. Over time, these non-native varieties cross bred with the native varieties, and became dominant. In discussion with Irina and Alexey, Tidmarsh Farms has established the goal of reducing the number of female plants as much as possible prior to the restoration implementation. This action will significantly reduce the production of potentially viable seed and early sapling population by 2014.
As it turns out, it is only possible to distinguish male and female trees in the spring, when they are in flower. This week, the buds are fluffing out and we see the distinctive yellow glow of the male tree with its buds covered by brilliant yellow stamens in the distance. In contrast, the female, with its greenish bud that will turn into catkins, looks modest but for us is dangerously productive.
Today, marrow's honeysuckle is just breaking bud. Irina tells us that most invasive plants get a head start on many of the native species, a strategy that often allows for early seed production as well. Small bursts of rich green are aparent everywhere along our road sides; this keeps the volunteers busy marking, and will keep us busy cutting. As we walk along past one of the big erratic rocks on the property, we examine a large patch of native rose. Its large single hips make this plant easy to distinguish from the invasive multiflora rose with its arching habit. Irina also encourages us to feel the stem of the rose to distinguish it from blackberry, a native briar.
We continue to mark plants as we walk the road along the red maple swamp. The maples are in full flower - stunning! I point to the relic channel that pushes back into the forest. This will be even more beautiful with this channel restored!
For more information about native plants of Plymouth County, you can purchase:
The Vascular Plants of Massachusetts: A County Checklist, First Revision (2011) by Melissa Dow Cullina, Bryan Connolly, Bruce Sorrie and Paul Somers. and visit Salicicola.com