Woody Invasive

File this under the Law of Unintended Consequences.  Meet Elaeagnus umbellate – autumn olive. 

This tree is native to China, Japan and Korea that made its way to the United States in 1830. In the 1950s it was widely promoted as a great way to provide wildlife habitat and erosion control in environmentally disturbed areas.  While it is true that it did provide habitat and food for wildlife – it soon became clear that the plant was highly invasive as a consequence of the ginormous numbers of fruits that when consumed by birds widely disperses the seeds.  As it spreads this species displaces other more desirable native trees and shrubs.  

Like many other non-native plants this bugger leafs-out early in the spring and retains its foliage late into the fall.  So I knew where it was and have been contemplating how to deal with it. 

I had a vision of cutting it down and painting the stump with a toxic herbicide.  However, I have recently discovered that mechanical removal might be a tool worth using.  Using the loader on the tractor I simply uprooted it and yanked it from the ground.  There it is in the photo above. 

I’ll monitor the location to determine if any of it grows back.  I should add that it was very satisfying to dig it up.  Didn’t even get my hands dirty.