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pear tree

Invasive Bradford/Callery Pear: Why it is so detrimental and what to plant instead.

Most people these days have, at the very least, heard of Callery and Bradford pear trees and know something about the invasiveness of this ornamental street tree.  But I still get questions about what it is and why it’s so bad. So, I’d like to offer a little history of[Read More…]

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New Invasive Predator of Honeybees

A new invasive insect of concern has been identified in the state of Georgia.  In August of 2023, Georgia’s Department of Agriculture, along with the USDA, confirmed the presence of the yellow-legged hornet, Vespa velutina, outside of the city of Savannah.  To date, this is the only confirmed identification of[Read More…]

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Clifty Falls

Pack Memories, Not Invasive Pests This Fall

Don’t give invasives species a ride during the fall camping and foliage season. This beautiful waterfall in Clifty Falls State Park is located only 20 miles from where spotted lanternfly has been found in Indiana. (Photo by M. Ruby)

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A side view of a hand holding a spotted lanternfly. The insect has a bright yellow body with black spots. Its wings are flared and they have bright fuchsia, white, and black patches as well as black spots.

Invasive Species Awareness Week Special: Insects to watch for this summer

Invasive Species Awareness Week is the perfect time to brush up on what invasive species are, why we’re so worried about them, and which insects you should keep on your radar.

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Update on invasive pests new and old

This year has been a rollercoaster of good (e.g. continued progress on the long term fight against emerald ash borer) and bad (e.g. sudden oak death potentially being introduced into the Midwest) news about invasive species. There’s been a lot to keep track of, but don’t worry if you’ve missed[Read More…]

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invasive plants

What Nurseries Need to Know About the Invasive Species Regulation? New Publication for Nursery Growers

A new publication for nursery growers has been released!  This publication, a joint venture between Purdue University and Indiana Department of Natural Resources, informs that nursery and landscape industry about new state regulations regarding invasive plants.  The rule goes into effect in two stages. As of April 18, 2019, it[Read More…]

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Terrestrial Invasive Species Rule Signed by Indiana Governor

The Invasive Terrestrial Plant Rule was signed by Governor Holcomb and published on March 18, 2019.  The rule goes into effect 30 days after publishing, so it will be effective later in April. The rule states with respect to the 44 plant species included on the rule: “a person must[Read More…]

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invasive musk thistle

Natural Resources Commission Preliminarily Adopts Invasive Plants Rule

On July 17th, at the Fort Harrison State Park in Indianapolis, the Natural Resources Commission passed the preliminary adoption of the Terrestrial Plant Rule (TPR) (https://www.in.gov/nrc/files/lsa18316_proposed.pdf).  This rule restricts the sale, distribution, and transport of 44 invasive plants, which were determined invasive based on scientific literature by the Indiana Invasive[Read More…]

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adult ezs

A New Threat to Elms in North America

The elm zigzag sawfly (EZS), Aproceros leucopoda, is a non-native insect recently detected in several midwestern states.  Originally from eastern Asia, this insect is rarely considered a problem in its native range, having several natural enemies and environmental factors able to keep it in check.  However, when in new landscapes,[Read More…]

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thistle seed

What the Fluff?!

As summer comes to a close, plants are rapidly releasing seeds and the most noticeable are the flying fluffy type. Thistles, asters, and milkweed are just a few of the summer-flowering plants that depend on the wind to disperse their seeds, sometimes carrying them miles away to potentially suitable locations,[Read More…]

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herbicides

When Roundup Isn’t Roundup: Clearing up the confusion between products

In the last newsletter, an article on triclopyr (www.purduelandscapereport.org/article/the-summer-of-triclopyr-mounting-evidence-for-off-target-damage/) brought up much discussion on the Roundup brands now containing multiple active ingredients other than glyphosate. Professionals in the industry may encounter a client with herbicide damage symptoms that mimic growth-regulator injury instead of typical glyphosate damage symptoms. While the client[Read More…]

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common herbicide injury in evergreens

The Summer of Triclopyr: Mounting evidence for off-target damage

There have been a significant number of questions and problems regarding triclopyr that have come across my desk this growing season. Several of these problems have come through the Purdue Plant and Pest Diagnostic Laboratory (https://ag.purdue.edu/department/btny/ppdl/index.html) from landscapers, nurseries, and property managers. General Information about Triclopyr Triclopyr is a selective[Read More…]

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Spotted Lanternfly is on the Move!

Spotted lanternfly is continuing to spread through Indiana.

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Spongy moth damage to trees, credit to John Obermeyer

Spongy Moth in Spring Time

Spongy moth is contained and managed, but requires awareness and vigilance to prevent its spread.

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"Fig. 4. Box tree moth adults. Image credit: Szabolcs Sáfián, University of West Hungary"

Blight, Leafminers, and Moths: The Plight of Boxwoods

Blight, Leafminers, and Moths: The Plight of Boxwoods Boxwoods (Buxus spp.) were introduced into the United States during colonial times, and still today they are one of the most popular evergreen shrubs used in landscapes. They are frequently selected for hedges and topiaries because they are easily trimmed into geometric[Read More…]

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honeysuckle red berries and yellow leaves

Consider Fall Eradication of Asian Bush Honeysuckle

Asian bush honeysuckle (Lonicera spp.) is an extremely invasive plant that is a serious problem in most areas of the Midwest.  These invasive plants grow very fast, especially along woodland edges, and shade out most of the understory plants that are found in these areas.  Honeysuckle can also significantly reduce[Read More…]

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Tree of heaven

Tree-of-Heaven is not so Heavenly

Despite the sublime name, tree-of-heaven, Ailanthus altissima, is a particularly bad actor when it comes to trees encountered in the Midwest. This native of Asia was introduced to North America more than 150 years ago and has since become a widespread invasive pest. Rapid growth, extremely high seed production (hundreds[Read More…]

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Spotted lanternfly

Spotted lanternfly egg hatch is here

It’s that time of year when we remind everyone to watch for spotted lanternfly (SLF) infestations. Spotted lanternfly is an invasive insect first detected in Pennsylvania in 2014, and has since spread throughout the eastern USA. Its preferred host is the invasive Tree-of-Heaven, but it also feeds on a wide[Read More…]

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signs

Hemlock Woolly Adelgid: Distribution update

The hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae) continues its eastward spread across the US. In 2022, seven new counties were added to the distribution map of this invasive insect. While it is not present in Indiana yet, it is confirmed throughout the eastern USA from northern Georgia to Maine, extending west[Read More…]

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Columbine

Throwing Shade on the Perennial Garden

For some, the term “shade garden” may be an oxymoron. When imagining a garden, most will think of a sunny area filled with flowering plants. So, it’s not surprising that gardeners would often fill shady areas with a hardy, evergreen ground cover and never look back. However, ornamental shade gardens[Read More…]

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