Winged burning bush is a non-native invasive species that was aided in the
expansion of its distribution through widespread planting as a landscape shrub.
The first method for stopping the invasion of burning bush, like most other
problems, is prevention. You can prevent spread by encouraging
your friends and neighbors to plant native shrubs instead of invasive ones
in their landscaping. The next step in stopping invasive spread is to turn to
direct control. Direct control can be mechanical or chemical, but the most
effective control is often a mix of both methods.
>>The control method is going to be
based upon the intensity level of the plants - how many are there - and their size,
the taller they are, the more mechanical type method you're going to have to employ.
For example, if we got plants that are over our head, I don't want to be foliar
spraying this, but if the plants are all low, that's perfectly,
that's a great opportunity to be using a foliar application. At times we're going
to need to employ both a herbicide or a foliar treatment and a mechanical
treatment. We're gonna do that when we have the tall plants and smaller plants
intermixed. That's very common when it comes to burning bush.
Therefore if we're going to be controlling burning bush in those
multiple stages and those higher intensity levels, we would cut the larger
stems first, get these out of the way. After they're out of the way, then we
come back in with a foliar treatment when we're treating these chest high or
lower plants, and we can be very effective. When doing the foliar
application, you really need to look at several different things. First of all,
you need to understand what are the tools that you have available. The tools
you have available are the products, something whether it's triclopyr or
glyphosate or if you can add a different herbicide into
the mix to get some additional effectiveness, and also you need to
consider what are the application methods you've got. Do you just have a
backpack sprayer? Do you have a sprayer, spray system that you can bring into a
forested area with hoses to where you can more effectively put the products
out? Do you not have any of that? Therefore the tools in your toolbox:
products and your methods. You also need to consider your timing. How quickly do
you need to get these plants controlled? Do you have one season to control the
plants? It'd be very difficult to control a multi-stage infestation in one season.
Do you have a two year time period? It's getting better. If you have multiple
years to control it, you have a lot more flexibility in choosing your products.
When applying a herbicide application, it's important for you to read and
follow the herbicide label that comes with the product. This will tell you
recommendations of how to use the product. It will also tell you the
maximum rates not to exceed. It will also tell you how effective is that product
on certain types of plants, and it will help steer your decisions as to which
products to use.
>> You shouldn't expect to kill everything on your first entry for control although
it is a good goal. Don't be discouraged if you see seedlings sprouting up after
your first entry. Burning bush is a serious problem because it leaves a
blanket of seedlings below the old stems. Multiple entries will be necessary when
controlling a burning bush population that is seeded out. After the initial
entry, the site should be monitored for at least two full growing seasons, and
when seedlings do sprout, we recommend a foliar application on the second entry.
Depending on the density of the population, small plants could be hand
pulled to maintain control after the second entry. This will work as long as
the puller hangs the roots to ensure mortality. Working together as a
community to control this issue is a necessity. So be sure to work with your
neighbors to solve the problem of burning bush invasion before it's too late.