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www.thelandonline.com — “Where Farm and Family Meet”
THE LAND — NOVEMBER 13/NOVEMBER 20, 2020
Late fall is easy time of year to identify buckthorn Is there a bush or small tree (possibly 1854treatyauthority.org/images/IDCompa up to 20 feet tall) on your property that is risonsofInvasiveBuckthorn&Honeysuckle still green? There is a noxious weed toNativePlantsinNEMN which has a lot known as buckthorn which is likely to of pictures of both the common and the still have green leaves — even after our glossy buckthorn and the plants that they recent low temperatures. may be confused with. The problem plants are the common or The name “buckthorn” comes from the GREEN AND European buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartitwo slightly curved horn-like projections GROWING ca) and the glossy buckthorn (Frangula at the end of each stem. They look like alnus). Both varieties have male and the hooves of a buck deer. In between the By Linda G. Tenneson female plants with berries found only on horn-like projections is a small thorn. the female plants. Common buckthorn Both a female and a has serrated or male plant are saw-toothed leaves, needed to produce while the glossy berries. buckthorn has leaves with smooth There is also a on the edges. The native version glossy buckthorn called Alder-leaf prefers to grow in buckthorn wet areas, but has (Rhamnus alnifolia) been found in other which looks like the places. The bark is problem non-native smooth and shiny, plant. However, the and gray or brown native version is with light-colored shorter — growing lenticels or corky to only 3 feet tall projections. If the and is not aggresouter layer of the sive. bark is scraped The web site with a knife, the extension.umn.edu/ inner layer is identify-invasiveorange. The leaves Buckthorn will retain its leaves much later after most trees and species/commonare dark green and shrubs have shed theirs – making the invasive plant easier to buckthorn has a oval — plus the leaf identify and eradicate. video which veins are easy to describes the best see. The leaves do not change color in the fall. The way to identify buckthorn. Another useful website is plant flowers in May or June and produces small
berries which turn from green to black and remain on the plant in the winter. A problem with identifying buckthorn is that it can be confused with native plants such as wild cherry, wild plum, chokecherry and dogwood. Native buckthorn has stipules or long green extensions at the base of each stalk, and it does not have thorns. There are also some differences between the flowers of the native and non-native plants. Go to minnesotawildflowers.info/shrub/ alder-leaved-buckthorn for more details and illustrations of the stipules. The non-native buckthorn is an aggressive grower which crowds out native plants and shelters the soybean aphid insect. Plus, the plant gives off a chemical which keeps other plant seeds from germinating. It creates dense shade, crowding out native plants. Once established, it is difficult to remove. Both non-native buckthorn plants are on the restricted noxious weed list. It is illegal to import, sell or transport them in Minnesota. If the berries are eaten by birds, they have a laxative effect and are quickly defecated in other locations. Unfortunately, the seeds have a high germination rate and can remain viable for five or more years. Young plants may be pulled out of the ground with their roots. Taller established plants can be sawed off near ground level. However, the remaining stumps must be sprayed with herbicide — making sure to cover the cambium or growing layer outside the heartwood and just under the bark. If not treated, the remaining roots will sprout — creating many new plants. Linda G. Tenneson is a University of Minnesota master gardener and tree care advisor. v
ISU Extension announces CropsTV for viewing at home AMES, Iowa — Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is announcing a new educational program aimed at delivering crop production information directly to farmers and agribusinesses. CropsTV provides the convenience of viewing at home, office or anywhere there’s an internet connection. Live webinars allow interaction with specialists, presenters and panelists. On-demand viewing of topics allows schedule flexibility. Participants can select from over 30 topics from Iowa State University faculty and staff as well as invited guest presenters. The 10-week program launches Dec. 1. CropsTV replaces the Integrated Crop Management Conference, originally scheduled for Dec. 2-3, and the Crop Advantage Series, scheduled for January at 14 Iowa locations. These two programs are temporarily suspended due to safety concerns for attendees and staff as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, and are scheduled to return next year. CropsTV was devel-
oped to reach this audience conveniently, safely and effectively in the absence of these two programs. “As pandemic uncertainty continues, there is still a need for science-based agronomic information,” said Mark Licht, assistant professor in agronomy and cropping systems specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. “The ICM Conference and Crop Advantage meetings were very effective at providing timely information to producers. CropsTV will provide the same top-quality programming Iowa farmers and agronomists have come to expect from ISU Extension and Outreach in a safe and accessible format.” The 10-week CropsTV season begins Dec. 1 and continues through Feb. 4, 2021. Live webinars are scheduled each week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9-10 a.m. Recordings of previous webinars, as well as additional topics, will be available for on-demand viewing throughout the program.
Webinars will be a combination of live presentations and pre-recorded content, with a live question and answer session allowing discussion and interaction with presenters. Registration for CropsTV is $45 and includes all live webinar broadcasts, on-demand viewing of previous webinars and over 30 CCA credits. Online registration opens mid-November. Additional information is available at www.aep. iastate.edu/cropstv. For questions, contact ANR Program Services at (515) 294-6429, or email cropstv@iastate.edu This article was submitted by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. v
