Invasives
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Tree of Heaven
Identification A fast growing tree that can reach 80′ – 100′ tall, often found at woodland edges or openings and urban alleyways where it grows to get sun – it
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Porcelain Berry
Identification Vine in the grape family but with much more incised leaves giving a frilly appearance. Â It climbs up into trees, carpeting them with dense foliage that prevents the trees’
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Norway Maple
Identification Most of the older street trees in Newton are Norway Maples; the prolific seeds have escaped into woods and unmanaged areas. Snap a leaf stem (petiole) off and look
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Multiflora Rose
Identification Long arching canes with scratchy large thorns that bend backwards. Groups of flowers (i.e. multi-flora), white to white-pink, forming multi fruits or rose hips. The compound leaves are alternate
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Lesser Celandine (Ranunculus ficaria)
Identification A spring ephemeral, perennial and aggressive ground cover. Â Yellow spring flowers have 8 petals. Â Glossy leaves. Â It forms dense spreading masses, through underground bulblets/tubers. It must not be confused
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Japanese Knotweed
Identification Bamboo-like jungle forming with green hollow vertical stems with purplish joints. Characteristics Spreads from the “knots” or underground rhizomes and root systems, also by seed, also dispersed by floods
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Goutweed (Aegopodium)
Identification Also called Bishopsweed, this is a perennial herb groundcover from Europe and Asia, spreading by underground rhizomes. Â Forms lush carpets of 1′ tall green. Â In summer puts up 3′
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Glossy Buckthorn
Identification Deciduous shrub or small tree. Leaves simple, oval with point, 10-12 pairs of veins parallel to each other. Bark gray with yellowish spotted lenticils. Scratched twig has yellow layer
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Common Buckthorn
Identification Small tree or shrub, with oval slightly toothed leaves. Leaf has 3-5 pairs of veins that curve to be parallel to the edge of the leaf. The bark is
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Black Swallow-wort
Identification Black Swallow-wort is a perennial vine from Europe that emerges in June. Â It has somewhat glossy, opposite leaves (i.e. the leaves are in pairs exactly opposite to each
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Barberry (Berberis thunbergii, Berberis vulgaris)
Identification Both Japanese barberry and common barberry (from Europe) are escapees from gardens, where they have become well established even though no longer for sale. Â Long arching canes of small
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Asiatic Bittersweet
Identification A woody vine (aka liana) that climbs and strangles trees. Leaves are oval, variable but always with a short pointed tip, and are alternate along the stem. There are