Japanese Stiltgrass Benefits
Besides historical uses as a packing material and basket weaving no other direct benefits are known.
Japanese stiltgrass benefits. Japanese stiltgrass microstegium vimineum is an invasive grass that threatens native plants and natural habitats in the eastern united states native to japan china central asia and india. It is a colonial species that spreads during the summer and fall by rooting at stem nodes that touch the ground. Stilt grass is a threat to biodiversity and natural ecosystems. This past summer i attended a workshop given by nofa organic land care on the organic management of invasive plants in the landscape.
Fish says japanese stiltgrass had never been confirmed in maine until a couple of weeks ago when it was discovered at a plant nursery in york county. Because it germinates quickly on bare soil it may play a short term role in soil stabilization. Japanese stiltgrass is an annual grass with all plants dying each fall. Weed seed japanese stiltgrass microstegium vimineum japanese stiltgrass is an invasive plant found in a variety of habitats including forests wetlands and disturbed areas.
Individual plants may produce 100 to 1 000 seeds that fall close to the parent plant from both self fertilizing and cross. Severely invasive grass found in york county. Japanese stiltgrass which can prevent native plants from growing was found at a nursery in york county according to state officials. It depends on seeds dropped in the fall to survive year to year just like crab grass.
Japanese stiltgrass is a plant that came over to the united states in 1919 in tennessee as a kind of packing material for china and other uses says state horticulturalist gary fish. So let the plants grow taller than normal and torch. Though various sources say nimblewill looks like japanese stiltgrass creeping bentgrass and bermuda grass it doesn t look like any of those species to me. Despite being non native in the united states it serves as a host plant for some native satyr butterflies such as the carolina satyr hermeuptychia sosybius and the endangered mitchell s.
Japanese stiltgrass is an annual plant not a perennial. Once you see them side by side you ll likely agree. I want to share some of the information i learned especially as it relates to japanese stilt grass microstegium vimineum which i wrote about last week since japanese stilt grass is an annual grass the primary goal is to prevent it from producing seeds. This plant s prolific seed production and rapid growth helps it dominate entire habitats edging out native vegetation.
Vimineum was originally documented in tennessee in 1919 and is believed to have been accidentally introduced to the united states through its use as a packing material. A quick pull of the lighter colored taller stiltgrass made it easier for the nimblewill to continue its territorial takeover.