Date: Fri, 18 Dec 2009 10:23:35 -0500
From: Al Cooke
Subject: Re: getting rid of eleagnus
I gather from Chatlist 3603 that I probably did not receive the preceding edition. In fact my mailbox suggests 2 issues missing and they’re not in the junk file either. This is an occasional occurrence, and Gene, I know you deal with it in a variety of contexts. I mention in not to complain by just FYA. It probably has to do with filters on my end.
Meanwhile Michael Burke and Doug Nicholas are both credible sources and have given good suggestions on dealing with Eleagnus, aka Russian olive or locally as hackberry. E. umbellata is probably the most common problem locally, and I have only a little to add to the comments from Michael and Doug. I’ll just point out that the cut-and-paint strategy is most effective in late summer through fall. The many formulations of glyphosate (Roundup) work well and you just have to find one with directions for a cut stump treatment. You can’t cut all morning then come back and paint. You have to do it one plant at a time to get the product on the stem before it seals. This uses very little product and there is little risk of “overspray.” You just cut off the stems and paint the product on the cut surface concentrating on the cambium layer just beneath the bark. Also know that wherever the plant occurs in any numbers, there are probably plenty of seeds in the soil’s seed bank that you’ll need to deal with for a few years.
A source that I use for a lot of this type of information on invasive plants is available online from the USDA Forest Service at
http://www.invasive.org/eastern/srs/
Note that they suggest 2 formulations of Garlon for control of this plant. Garlon 3A can be mixed with water. Garlon 4A needs to be mixed with something like diesel oil for application – probably not something most folks want to do. And in my experience, foliar applications of glyphosate (Roundup) are not fatal, at least not with a single application. Maybe at a stronger concentration than I have tried.
Good luck. Many will testify that this is not an easy task. And it’s one of those decisions where the adverse effects of the plant may be worse than those of the herbicides.
alcooke
Al Cooke
Extension Agent, Horticulture
Chatham County Center
N.C. Cooperative Extension
PO Box 279, Pittsboro, NC 27312
919.542-8202; Fax 919.542.8246
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/chatham/staff/acooke/home.html