Our Charleston Magnolia Garden Club met in January at the First Presbyterian Church for our monthly program and luncheon. We were greeted by Carrie Rice as she carried out our delicious chicken casserole and salad on our individualized plates. I enjoyed being waited on like many of my fellow garden club members.
Clyde Callihan, Lucy Boyette and Jeanie Hobson were Carrie’s fellow hostesses. The dessert was a strawberry confection to get lost in, but all of the luncheon choices were tasty.
After the meal of which Steve Winters took part in, he stood to present slides on invasive plants and our approach to these sometimes unwelcome plants. I say sometimes because I was surprised to see some of the plants he labeled invasive. More on that later.
Steve is the Grenada County Extension agent through Mississippi State University. He has more than 35 years of experience in the recognition and labeling of invasive species. He describes invasive plants as having earmarks of being unable to be removed and an enemy of the farmers.
A longtime friend of Carol Bullard and others of our club, Steve was most gracious in answering our questions regarding some of the slides he showed and answered questions off topic.
One of the plants we were surprised to see under his heading of invasive was the Bradford pear, now called flowering pear, because it has morphed into this name. The flowering pear is waiting in the wings to enter the invasive hall of fame. Once these plants are labeled invasive, you will have trouble buying them at the nursery. We all know kudzu is invasive, but did you know that privet hedge is also a weed to battle? Scouring rush and Japanese blood grass were just a few others named along with mimosa, popcorn tree, covine grass, Bermuda grass, and Virginia button weed.
Steve warned us of animals that also are unwanted visitors in our community in our gardens and yards. Look for the “D” shaped hole in a pine tree so small it could be overlooked. Ambrosia beetle is this shape’s owner and this beetle kills trees. Another South African critter is an armadillo who wreaks havoc with our yards, looking for tubers and bulbs. The emerald ash borer attacks ash trees and should have its picture on a wanted poster as a severe enemy of those trees.
At the end of Steve’s presentation, we conducted our meeting and planned our calendar for the new year ahead, as all of us are doing.
May we not encounter these unwelcome pests or plants, but if we do, remember we have been warned!
