25 August 2024
At the moment of yr the woods in southwestern Pennsylvania typically look as if gardeners have eliminated all of the underbrush and left a thick carpet of grass on the forest flooring. The “gardeners” are overabundant white-tailed deer who selectively eat their favourite meals and go away behind invasive Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum).
Japanese stiltgrass got here to the U.S. in packing crates within the early 1900s as padding to guard porcelain shipped from China. In fact we threw it out once we unpacked the crates. It took root and was found in Tennesse in 1919. Greater than 100 years later it blankets a lot of the jap U.S.
Japanese stiltgrass is fairly simple to establish as a result of it has a shiny midrib (topside) and the midrib is just not in the midst of the leaf (underside).
Wonderful because it appears, Japanese stiltgrass is an annual that dies each winter and grows again from seed the subsequent spring. Its thick inexperienced carpet in summer season shades out native species.
After it goes to seed in early fall it dies and turns into a brown drape over the panorama in winter. This provides it the alternate widespread identify of Nepalese browntop.
Japanese stiltgrass comes again thickly yearly as a result of it drops a lot seed within the soil. It’s doable to eliminate it … finally .. by way of hand pulling or goats. Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy is utilizing each strategies in Hays Woods this yr.
When you’ve got Japanese stiltgrass in your yard, Penn State Extension has these sensible cures for eradicating it.
Watch this video for extra identification clues.
