SUISUN CITY - The Solano County Agricultural Commissioner and Suisun City Public Works Department oversaw the removal today of a stand of parasitic Japanese dodder discovered in late December near Mike Day Park.
The bright yellow, leafless plant has no roots but attaches itself to a host plant and eventually kills it while growing wildly.
In its December statement, the Agricultural Commissioner indicated that Japanese dodder, resembling twisting, yellow-to-orange pieces of spaghetti, damages the host plant by robbing it of food and water. In California, the plant reproduces through the dissemination of small fragments of stems, usually associated with such activities as pruning, gardening, composting, and the improper disposal of infested plant materials.
The dodder was discovered in a stand of wild blackberry bushes along the promenade near Mike Day Park. The bushes were removed using heavy equipment and hand tools. The dodder was carefully transported to the landfill where it was destroyed following strict state guidelines. No other plants were impacted by the discovery.
The area will be kept bear from any growth and monitored for a recurrence or spread of the invasive dodder.
No comments:
Post a Comment