Invasive Plant Management in the North Carolina Sandhills
Microstegium vimineum - Japanese stiltgrass
A branched, clonal,
annual grass that can form dense mats 3 feet thick. Native plants can
be crowded out after a disturbance, such as flooding or mowing,
creating an opportunity for infestation; Japanese stilt grass spreads
rapidly, forming dense monotypic stands that can expand to threaten
other areas, such as wetlands or forests (and its native understory
species). Alters soil nutrient properties and produces small masses of
roots that leave the surface layer of soil with few or no roots. This
could favor other invasive species and enable them to invade intact
communities.
