Land Management Program at Archbold Biological Station
P.O. Box 2057,  Lake Placid, FL 33862
 Phone 863-465-2571  FAX 863-699-1927
 E-mail: landmanager@archbold-station.org

Main Grounds 

The main grounds (photos) at ABS were heavily planted with many ornamental plants from many areas of the World. While many of these plants do not appear to be invasive, a few species are highly invasive.  Air potato and rosary pea are the primarily invasive plants found within the main grounds of the station (map), but numerous other exotic plants are present.  These include lantana, flame vine, glory-bower, hyptis brushmint, Rangoon creeper, vining philodendron, wedelia, Suriname cherry, common guava, strawberry gauva, periwinkle, Caesar's weed, camphor tree, Brazilian pepper, and wild balsam apple.  The initial focus was the control and treatment of air potato and rosary pea from April 2002 to March 2003 (graph).  

A variety of methods were used to control and treat air potato that included collecting air potato bulbs, removing vines from the canopy prior to fruit production, cutting mature stems and spraying base with Garlon 4 (10%), and foliar spray of leaves with Roundup (3%) or Weedmaster 2,4-D (3%).  Foliar spraying was only used in areas where air potato made up > 95% of the vegetation (see photos below). 

Similar methods were used to control other plants:  

• small seedlings are pulled up by hand

• seed pods and bulbs were collected by hand

• foliar spray of all living leaves with Roundup (3%) or Weedmaster 2,4-D (3%)

• shrubs and trees were cut at the base and sprayed with Garlon 4 (10%) mixed with oil

Treatment of Complete coverage of Air Potato

1. Pretreatment (June, 2002)

2. Removal of all aerial air potato vines and foliar spray of all living air potato vines with 3% Banvel 2,4-D (June 2002).  This was followed by 3 sites visits during June-July 2002 to collect air potato tubers.

3. Post treatment monitoring; minor spot treatment needed (October 2002)

4. Post treatment monitoring; minor spot treatment needed (April 2003)

Photo Credits: Jeff Hutchinson

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• Hutchinson, J.T., April 2003.
© Archbold Biological Station, 2003 April.
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