Murdannia is Murder

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Contact: Wesley M. Knapp, Maryland Department of Natural Resources | WKnapp@dnr.state.md.us ANNAPOLIS, MD (October 20, 2011) – Murdannia keisak, or marsh dayflower as it is sometimes called, is a beautiful wetland plant native to Asia, bearing small but showy purple-white flowers. Don’t let this plant’s beauty mask its true nature. It is a horribly invasive species establishing […]

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Castor Oil for What Ails You?

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Contact: K. L. Kyde, Maryland Department of Natural Resources | kerrie.kyde@maryland.gov UConn Plants Database (scroll to bottom for more images) ANNAPOLIS, MD (September 1, 2011) – Castor aralia, Kalopanax septemlobus, is a tree from moist, deciduous forests in Asia that is planted as an ornamental in North America. It is the only large tree member of […]

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Where There’s a Wilt, There’s a Way

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Contact: Dave Clement, Entomologist, University of Maryland Cooperative Extension | clement@umd.edu ANNAPOLIS, MD (August 2, 2011) – Oak wilt was first described in Wisconsin in 1944 where trees were found dying in localized areas. This disease kills young and mature oak trees and has been found in 21 states. The predominant damage has occurred in the […]

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Welcome Biological Control or Dreaded Plant Pest?

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Contact: Robert B. Trumbule, Entomologist, Maryland Department of Agriculture | rtrumbule@rcn.com ANNAPOLIS, MD (July 6, 2011) – Multiflora Rose, Rosa multiflora, a now common and widely recognized invader of old pastures, fencerows and right of ways throughout much of the Midwestern and Eastern U.S. was once hailed as a hero of soil and wildlife conservation. Planting of […]

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You Don’t Want a Stake in This!

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Contact: Marc Imlay, Conservation Biologist, The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission | (301) 442-5657 | Marc.Imlay@pgparks.com ANNAPOLIS, MD (June 2, 2011) – Perilla frutescens is commonly known as beefsteak plant. Beefsteak plant has become highly invasive in many habitats, displacing desirable native plants all over Maryland. Due to its increase in invasive qualities, the Maryland Invasive Species […]

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Save Your Bait, and Keep the Fishing Great

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Contact: Jay Kilian, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Resource Assessment Service | 410-260-8617 ANNAPOLIS, MD (April 1, 2011) – Anglers beware! What lies at the bottom of your bait bucket has the potential to damage Maryland’s ecosystems and the quality of your most prized fishing hole. Your favorite bait, the one dangling at the end […]

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A Weapon Against Weeds

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Contact: Nevin Dawson | ndawson@umd.edu ANNAPOLIS, MD (March 2, 2011) – Invasive species got you down? Get goats! This month’s article is not about an invasive species, but a specific control measure. Goats can be a great tool in your efforts to control the invasion of many common invasive plants. Traditional control measures can be effective, […]

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Have you been Bamboo-zled?

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Contact: Bud Reaves, Anne Arundel County | IPREAV00@aacounty.org ANNAPOLIS, MD (January 6, 2011) – One of the most useful plants in the world, bamboo is found throughout the temperate and tropical regions of the world. A commercially important plant, bamboo is used for everything from food to flooring and is one of the most easily recognizable […]

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If You Have Allergies, Please Don’t Print This!

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Contact: Mary Travaglini, The Nature Conservancy MD/DC | mtravaglini@TNC.ORG ANNAPOLIS, MD (December 9, 2010) – Mulberry paper is considered the “granddaddy” of all art papers. It has a neutral pH, and feathers beautifully while torn. The timber is useless, but the inner bark has been used for centuries to produce high-quality art papers, and once imported […]

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An Unwanted Pine Pest Revisited

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Contact: Bob Trumbule, Maryland Department of Agriculture | rtrumbule@erols.com ANNAPOLIS, MD (November 4, 2010) – The pine shoot beetle, Tomicus piniperda, is a European invasive species that was inadvertently introduced into the Great Lakes Region of the U.S. and detected in 1992. This small bark beetle now occurs in 17 states including Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and […]

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