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Research ArticleArticles

Removing the Invasive Tree Ailanthus altissima and Restoring Natural Cover

Patrick L. Burch and Shepard M. Zedaker
Arboriculture & Urban Forestry (AUF) January 2003, 29 (1) 18-24; DOI: https://doi.org/10.48044/jauf.2003.003
Patrick L. Burch
1Field Research Biologist, Dow AgroSciences, LLC, 3425 Elk Creek Drive, Christiansburg, VA 24073, U.S.
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Shepard M. Zedaker
2Professor, Virginia Tech, 22B Cheatham Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061, U.S.
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  • Article
  • Figures & Data
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    Figure 1.

    Box plot of stem count (number of stems per acre) as affected by treatments. Untreated is hand-cut only.

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    Table 1.

    Chemical treatments used to compare herbicide effectiveness with manual cutting for control of Ailanthus in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia.

    Treatment codeCarrier systemHerbicide*Herbicide rate (% v/v)
    1HY-Grade ECGarlon 420
    2HY-Grade ECGarlon 420
    Stalker1
    3HY-Grade ECGarlon 415
    Stalker3
    4HY-Grade ECGarlon 420
    Stalker3
    5Aqumix RTUGarlon 420
    Tordon K5
    6Eco-Pak RTUGarlon 420
    Tordon K5
    7Arborchem RTUGarlon 420
    Tordon K5
    8HY-Grade ECStalker9
    9Manual cutting 7-15 cm above ground  
    • ↵*Garlon 4 (triclopyr @ 480 gae/L); Stalker (imazapyr @ 240 gae/L); Tordon K (picloram @ 240 gae/L).

    • View popup
    Table 2.

    Treatment effects on Ailanthus 6 weeks after treatment and the percentage of control and mortality measured 1 year after treatment.

    TreatmentDefoliation %Control %Mortality %
    Garlon 4 20% in HY-Grade EC100*99.8 a100 a
    Garlon 4 20% +1% Stalker in HY-Grade EC96.7 A98.1 a98.3 a
    Garlon 4 15% + 3% Stalker in HY-Grade EC77.7 B74.1 b79.6 b
    Garlon 4 20% + 5% Tordon K in Aqumix RTU100 A100 a100 a
    Garlon 4 20% + 5% Tordon K in Eco-Pak RTU94.5 A100 a100 a
    Garlon 4 20% + 5% Tordon K in Arborchem RTU98.8 A98.0 a98.7 a
    Stalker 9% in HY-Grade EC78.0 B99.9 a100 a
    Stalker 9% in HY-Grade EC   
    Manual cutting 7–15 cm above ground100-150 c21.3 c
    p-value.0001.0001.0001
    • ↵*Means followed by the same case/style letter not significantly different at a = 0.05.

    • View popup
    Table 3.

    Pre-treatment dominant herbaceous species over all four blocks by treatment for Ailanthus control plots on Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia.

    TreatmentOverall three most dominant speciesAverage % cover*
    Garlon 4 20% in HY-Grade ECAlliaria petiolata (garlic mustard)58
    Impatiens capensis (jewelweed)40
    Aristolochia durior (Dutchman’s pipe)40
    Garlon 4 20% + 1% Stalker inAlliaria petiolata (garlic mustard)67
    HY-Grade ECOsmorhiza longistylis (sweet cicely)40
     Arctium minus (burdock)32
    Garlon 4 15% + 3% Stalker inAlliaria petiolata (garlic mustard)57
    HY-Grade ECImpatiens capensis (jewelweed)40
     Hydrophyllum virginianum (Virginia waterleaf)20
    Garlon 4 20% + 3% Stalker inAlliaria petiolata (garlic mustard)57
    HY-Grade ECArctium minus (burdock)30
     Toxicodendron radicans (poison ivy)15
    Garlon 4 20% + 5% Tordon KAlliaria petiolata (garlic mustard)75
    in CWC basal mix RTUEupatorium spp. (Joe Pye weed)27
     Impatiens capensis (jewelweed)20
    Garlon 4 20% + 5% Tordon KAlliaria petiolata (garlic mustard)60
    in Exacto RTUBromus sterillis (bromegrass)50
     Arctium minus (burdock)20
    Garlon 4 20% +5% Tordon KAlliaria peiolata (garlic mustard)62
    in Arborchem RTUImpatiens capensis (jewelweed)20
     Arctium minus (burdock)20
    Stalker 9% in HY-Grade ECAlliaria petiolata (garlic mustard)67
    Gillenia trifoliata (bowman’s root)20
    Aristolochia durior (Dutchman’s pipe)20
    Manual cutting 3 in. aboveAlliaria petiolata (garlic mustard)67
    groundOsmorhiza longistyllis (sweet cicely)30
     Arctium minus (burdock)20
    • ↵*Average cover may be greater than 100% because coverage was averaged over four blocks by species.

    • View popup
    Table 4.

    Post-treatment dominant herbaceous species over all four blocks by treatment for Ailanthus control plots on Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia.

    TreatmentOverall three most dominant speciesAverage % coverz
    Garlon 4 20% in HY-Grade ECImpatiens capensis (jewelweed)60
    Mixed grassesy30
    Eupatorium spp. (Joe Pye weed)20
    Garlon 4 20% + 1% Stalker inMixed grasses40
    Hy-Grade ECAristolochia durior (Dutchman’s pipe)30
     Impatiens capensis (jewelweed)25
    Garlon 4 15% + 3% Stalker inArctium minus (burdock)40
    Hy-Grade ECImpatiens capensis (jewelweed)31
     Aristolochia durior (Dutchman’s pipe)20
    Garlon 4 20% + 3% Stalker inMixed grasses40
    HY-Grade ECImpatiens capensis (jewelweed)30
     Eupatorium spp. (Joe Pye weed)30
    Garlon 4 20% + 5% Tordon K in HY-Grade ECMixed grasses40
    Impatiens capensis (jewelweed)30
    Eupatorium spp. (Joe Pye weed)30
    Garlon 4 20% + 5% Tordon K in CWC basal nix RTUMixed grasses40
    Aristolochia durior (Dutchman’s pipe)40
    Eupatorium spp. (Joe Pye weed)30
    Garlon 4 20% + 5% Tordon K in Exacto RTUEupatorium spp. (Joe Pye Weed)50
    Impatiens capensis (jewelweed)40
    Mixed grasses30
    Garlon 4 20% + 5% Tordon K in Arborchem RTUMixed grasses50
    Impatiens capensis (jewelweed)40
    Sanguinara canadensis (bloodroot)30
    Stalker 9% in Hy-Grade ECImpatiens capensis (jewelweed)37
    Verbascum thapsus (mullein)30
    Arctium minus (burdock)30
    Manual cutting 3 in. above groundImpatiens capensis (jewelweed)30
    Eupatorium spp. (Joe Pye weed)10
    Aristolochia durior (Dutchman’s pipe)5
    • ↵zAverage cover may be greater than 100% because coverage was averaged over four blocks by species.

    • ↵yMixed grasses consisted of Danthonia, Poa, Agrostis, Dactylis, Festuca, and Panicum spp.

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Arboriculture & Urban Forestry (AUF): 29 (1)
Arboriculture & Urban Forestry (AUF)
Vol. 29, Issue 1
January 2003
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Removing the Invasive Tree Ailanthus altissima and Restoring Natural Cover
Patrick L. Burch, Shepard M. Zedaker
Arboriculture & Urban Forestry (AUF) Jan 2003, 29 (1) 18-24; DOI: 10.48044/jauf.2003.003

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Removing the Invasive Tree Ailanthus altissima and Restoring Natural Cover
Patrick L. Burch, Shepard M. Zedaker
Arboriculture & Urban Forestry (AUF) Jan 2003, 29 (1) 18-24; DOI: 10.48044/jauf.2003.003
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    • Abstract
    • HISTORY OF AILANTHUS ALTISSIMA
    • METHODS AND MATERIALS
    • RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
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Keywords

  • Ailanthus
  • invasive exotic tree
  • native vegetation
  • Tordon K picloram
  • Garlon 4 triclopyr
  • Stalker imazapyr
  • tree-of-heaven
  • herbicide control
  • manual cutting
  • tree ecology
  • allelopathy

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