Hello, I would like to be put in contact with the Virginia chapter, specifically Hampton roads/tidewater

Yes, thank you

https://wtop.com/virginia/2018/06/noxious-weed-alert-giant-hogweed-spotted-in-virginia/

Invasive plants are a serious problem for native plant species in the United States. They outcompete native plants due to a lack of predators. They disrupt soil microbiology and ph, and affect the sensitive balance of the overall ecosystem.

It’s also worth mentioning the fact that the fight to stop the spread of invasive plants directly parallels our own fight to preserve our culture as identitarians.

I’m going to try and post at least one invasive plant a week, highlighting its environmental disruptions, how to spot it, and how to get rid of it efficiently.

This week it’s Giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) is a tall (up to 15-20 ft), herbaceous, biennial plant.

Giant hogweed is native to central and southwest Asia. It was intentionally introduced via the nursery industry where it eventually escaped and spread.

Impacts
Giant hogweed suppresses the growth of native plants, which has a negative impact on native wildlife. In addition, giant hogweed poses a threat to human health as direct skin contact with the plant’s toxic sap induces extreme photosensitivity causing slow to heal burns and scarring. this sap can also cause blindness upon contact with the eyes. Costs are incurred for both medical treatment and efforts to keep the plant under control. Over 100,000 seeds per plant are dispersed annually by water, wind, or humans.

Giant hogweed burns

Habitat: Giant hogweed invades disturbed areas across both the Northeast and Pacific Northwestern United States. Although often found in open fields and along roadsides, it has been observed along streams in natural areas.

Identification:
Leaves: palmately compound, with three deeply incised leaflets, with spotted leaf stalk, enormous, lower leaves can be 5’ wide. Only basal leaves are produced the first year.

Flowers: 50-150 white, small, many borne in large, loose umbels at tops of stems. Blooms late June through August.

Stems: often purple-mottled, up to 4-in in diameter, hollow and ridged.

Physical/Mechanical Control: Hogweed is difficult to control due to its toxic effects on the skin. A small number of plants can be hand dug, but care should be taken to remove most of the root and to protect skin and eyes.

Repeated mowing does not kill the plant and causes resprouting, but it may weaken the plant if done consistently and persistently enough to starve the roots. Chemical Control: Foliar treatments with glyphosate (trade name “roundup”) or triclopyr ( trade name “garlon”) have been effective. Glyphosate is considered the most effective herbicide and should be used in spring and early summer when plants are less than three feet tall. A follow-up application in midsummer may be necessary. Use caution around desirable species since glyphosate is non-selective.

If anyone has questions concerning invasive plants, native plants, identification of plants feel free to ask any time, I do this for a living and I want to help make everyone more aware of this beautiful green earth, and our responsibility as it’s stewards.

Unfortunately there is no one specific place to track the spread of invasive plants, this website puts out alerts on all invasive species and they update when it’s spotted in new areas. https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/index.shtml.

City or state parks services are the best resource to find out if a new invasive species has been spotted in your area.

Unfortunately most invasive occur on residential land, and oftentimes the landowner is not informed of the potential ecological threat.

I’m glad someone said this ^

Hampton roads!

@Deleted User

Shitty photoshop

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