Albion becomes Michigan’s first sighting of the invasive mile-a-minute vine

Jason Raddatz, director of the Whitehouse Nature Center, and his Albion College nature center assistants were getting training last Wednesday to recognize the murderous vine.

Doug White, director of Albion College’s Center for Sustainability and the Environment, and David Mindell of Plantwise, a company that helps restore and interpret native ecosystems, showed students how to recognize the prickly vine out in the field for eradication.

“My dissertation was on bird dispersal of fruits, so that drew my curiosity.”

The threat to the Whitehouse Nature Center, and eventually the rest of Albion, is genuine. The plant survives by smothering other plants, bushes, and even trees.

The threat to the Whitehouse Nature Center, and eventually the rest of Albion, is genuine. The plant survives by smothering other plants, bushes, and even trees. If not eradicated, it can become a threat to native vegetation and eventually destroys habitats and the ecosystem that animals depend on to survive all within a year.

The leaves are light green, shaped like an equilateral triangle, about 4 to 7 cm in size, and alternate on the vine.

“It’s covered with prickers and is native to Asia.”

“It’s covered with prickers and is native to Asia. It has invaded the U.S. three times. The first two times, it was eradicated. The third time it came in nursery stock back East,” said White.

The plant is a challenge to control because it grows four to six inches a day. Also, the vines don’t need pollinators. It self-fertilizes and grows to be very dense.

“It’s a superstar in dispersing. It can be dispersed by birds. The seeds have little structures on them that are attractive to ants, and so when they end up on the ground, the ants can plant the seeds,” said White. Deer are also suspect spreaders after eating them, digesting them, and releasing the seeds through their digestive system.

Other aggressive strategies include the possible use of chemicals, but for now, Raddatz’s team pulls the vines, bags them, and stores them in the nature center barn until the seeds are dead. Then they are buried in the bag.

The White House Nature Center assistants will begin to pull out the vines regularly now that they have the necessary training. “We are marking the sites of the vine with flags that will be checked throughout the summer. If the vines return or emerge in other areas of the nature center, then we will move to a more aggressive management strategy. We should have enough data to make a decision by the end of next summer.” Other aggressive strategies include the possible use of chemicals, but for now, Raddatz’s team pulls the vines, bags them, and stores them in the nature center barn until the seeds are dead. Then they are buried in the bag.
.

Having to deal with a deadly vine that grows voraciously requires quick action, and this week Raddatz’s nature center assistants have pulled out barrels of the invasive species.

Having to deal with a deadly vine that grows voraciously requires quick action, and this week Raddatz’s nature center assistants have pulled out barrels of the invasive species. The removal provides hands-on experience for the students and saves plants, bushes, and trees.
During the training, Donna Avina said, “This is my first time working with an invasive plant. I really didn’t understand them before.” She said it was the first time she heard of the vine. “I am a very hands-on person, so I am very excited to work on this and be a part of the history of this. This is the first time it is being seen in Michigan, so I feel like this is a big thing, and I am excited.”

David Mindell of Plantwise and Fallon Januska of Cooperative Invasive Species Management, also at the training, agree that education for the professionals and the public is crucial to eradicating the vine.