Some normally well-behaved plants become problematic and resist all efforts for control simply because they are able to out-survive the plantings around them. There may be no local factors - like insects or diseases - limiting their growth, which means these plants can spread aggressively. Depending on the area of the country, knotweed, honeysuckle and kudzu are among the species that are particularly invasive.
Proliferation of an invasive species can pose serious problems, throwing off the natural balance of an ecosystem. For example, invasive species can sometimes overtake and replace indigenous plants, leaving animals and birds without forage for their normal diets.
If you have invasive plants on your property, now is an excellent time to treat them to prevent their spread. Systemic herbicide treatments applied to stems or foliage during the late summer and early fall can help provide effective control. Treated brush can then be removed in winter and desirable species planted in spring to provide a more sustainable environment.
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