Roxborough Volunteers Remove Invasive Plant In Wissahickon

ROXBOROUGH -- The Friends of the Wissahickon, a watershed conservation group for the Roxborough-Manayunk area creek, teamed up with the Roxborough Watershed Baptist Church to do some important environmental work int he work.

Together, the team removed an invasive plant - Devil's Walking Stick - from 1.5 acres of land along Forbidden Drive.

According to the Wissahickon Restoration Volunteers, the plant is also non-native:

This perennial shrub or tree originated in Asia and has become naturalized in forested areas. It is easily recognized by its thorny stem and leaves. This plant sends root shoots and can produce stump sprouts after cutting. We also have a similar native plant, Aralia spinosa. It is our understanding that this native plant is being displaced by Aralia elata, which is very difficult to distinguish.

Invasive plants are routinely removed by conservation crews because they disrupt natural growth patterns and steal habitat and minerals from native plants, which can lead to destruction of biodiversity and a less healthy ecosystem overall.

Images courtesy Friends of the Wissahickon.