NATL’s invasive exotic plants

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  More on NATL's invasive exotic plants.

	Cogongrass in old-field plots Cogongrass, a native of southeast Asia, is well established in NATL's old-field plots and is threatening to crowd out most other species in Plot A, where this picture was taken. An all-out effort to eradicate it with herbicides was begun in spring of 2005. This has resulted in large patches of dead grass that are temporarily resistant to decay and to invasion by native species.
	Cogongrass in upland pine ecosystem Cogongrass is more shade tolerant than most grasses. As seen in this picture, it has begun to spread from NATL's old field plots into the eastern edge of the adjacent upland pine. Herbicidal control is under way here also. More about cogongrass in Florida.
	Skunkvine in hammock ecosystem Skunkvine, a native of Asia, gets its name from the fetid odor of its foliage. It overgrows and shades out native vegetation. Vines sometimes drop from above, take root, and provide the means for more vines to ascend to the tree tops. A large patch of skunkvine is established in NATL's restricted area hammock on either side of Gasline Trail. An attempt to eradicate the patch with herbicides is underway. More on skunkvine in Florida.
	Coral ardisia in hammock ecosystem Coral ardisia is a small shrub native to southeast Asia that has dark evergreen foliage and bright red berries. It tends to form a dense understory in moist hammocks thereby displacing native species in the ground cover. A major infestation in southeast NATL-west was greatly reduced by hand pulling. Scattered patches remain throughout NATL's hammocks and are being reduced by hand pulling. More on coral ardisia in Florida.
	Air potato in hammock ecosystem Air potato has a growth form and aggressiveness that resembles kudzu. It fruit, borne on the vines in the fall, resemble small, pale Irish potatoes. Small patches occur in NATL-west and a major infestation on adjacent property, shown here, has invaded NATL-east along its eastern boundary. Herbicidal control has suppressed but not eliminated air potato in NATL. More on air pototo in Florida.
	Noyau vine in old-field plots Noyau vine can be recognized by its distinctive foliage. It was first found in NATL in 2005 covering these small trees in old-field Plot E. Because it was identified as a potentially invasive exotic, this patch and several others that were soon discovered were initially sprayed with herbicide but this was discontinued in 2007, because the species did not seem to be aggressively invasive in NATL.