A Weed Warrior’s work is often successful and satisfying. But there can be crushing disappointments. In a post on this page on August 2, Keith Sanderson, of Rockville, Montgomery County, Maryland, reported working for two years to free an unidentified small tree from invasive vines. When he first cleared it last year, he thought it was dead since it had almost no foliage. But he nicked it and saw green, so had some hope of recovery. “Indeed it came back with a vengeance this year, after having a season of full sun.” The beautiful flowering tree turned out to be a non-native (but not invasive) Pee Gee Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens), which has a tree form, with a trunk and a bushy top. Said Keith at that time, “Since it was the only deep-rooted plant on that stretch of stream bank, I wanted to save it. Native or not, its a good example of persistence in removing invasive weeds, and the neighbors and passers-by have remarked at how beautiful it is -- nice rewards for a Weed Warrior.” But if vines did not do it in, vandals did. Keith recently photographed the tree, uprooted and destroyed. “A tribute to a Fallen Angel,” Keith calls his photographic documentation. (Learn more about Montgomery County Weed Warriors: montgomeryparks.org/PPSD/Natural_Resources_Stewardship/Veg_Management/weed_warriors/)
Posted on: Sat, 27 Sep 2014 03:13:56 +0000
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