Forest Health

Japanese honeysuckle grows in a variety of habitats, including woodlands, wetlands, and disturbed areas, such as fence rows, roadways and rights-of-way. It is shade-tolerant and often smothers and kills native ground-level vegetation. It can also kill shrubs and saplings by girdling.

Garlic mustard is a biennial flowering plant in the mustard family that is an aggressive invader of woodlands throughout the United States.

Multiflora rose is one of the most common invasive plants in the mid-Atlantic region. Read how to identify it, how to keep it from spreading, and how to keep it in check.

Like many invasive plants in North American woodlands, Oriental bittersweet is a strong competitor for light and nutrients in a variety of disturbed landscapes. It can be found along roadsides, in fallow fields, and in woodlands that have been recently harvested.

Drive along many of Maryland’s major roads in the spring, and you will see what seems like a wall of white, as the Callery pear (and its offshoot, the Bradford pear) are in bloom. While these may be an impressive sight, these trees are an invasive and highly competitive species.

The Norway Maple is so conspicuous throughout the United States that it is often easy to forget that it is an introduced species that can adversely affect the environment.

Wavyleaf basketgrass was first identified in the United States in Baltimore County, MD in 1996. It is less well-known than other invasives, but it is spreading rapidly in Maryland and Virginia.

Back issues of the Branching Out newsletter can be found on this page.

In this issue: With warmer weather comes a reminder to stay vigilant about woodland threats, and a look at the importance of pollen. There's an assessment of ghost forests in the region, plus a roundup of news you might have missed. Read about the pawpaw in our "Native Trees of Maryland" feature and about glossy buckthorn in our "Invasives in Your Woodland" feature. And more!

Your woodlands are important. They are a valuable resource for your family’s enjoyment and their future, and for the environment. The University of Maryland Extension now participates in the “Call Before You Cut” program. The program provides Maryland woodland owners with free information to ensure that they harvest their timber in the most efficient, cost-effective, and ecologically-sound manner possible.