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Friday - August 20, 2004
From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Managing Roadsides
Title: Non-invasive alternatives to winter rye
Answered by: Stephen Brueggerhoff
QUESTION:
Re-vegetation requirements include winter rye, which is considered by some to be invasive to native wildflowers planted along the roadway. Is winter rye considered invasive to native wildflowers?ANSWER:
Perrenial Ryegrass (Lolium perenne; introduced cool-season perennial bunchgrass) & related Annual Ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum), are effective competitors for native vegetation as they temporarily produce a dense turf coverage, & are also effective at re-seeding after flowering in the early Spring, providing propagules that emerge the following late Fall providing problems with persistance. It is because of its "success" providing a quick cover that it is utilized in re-vegetation mixes along roadsides and areas requiring control for erosion. There are 3 species that would be a better choice for consideration in seedling mixtures, 2 native to the Continental U.S., all cool-season grasses, cassock or open type bunching grasses and not providing problems associated with persistance. Canada Wild Ryegrass ( Elymus canadensis (Canada wildrye) perennial native), Virginia Ryegrass (Elymus virginicus (Virginia wildrye) perennial native), and Cereal Ryegrass (Secale cereale; annual non-native). I recommend contacting your state Department of Transportation office to find out more about their roadside management programs.More Managing Roadsides Questions
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April 09, 2013 - Is there any law or regulation at the state level that prohibits, or at least discourages, mowing or spraying herbicide on the highway roadsides before the wildflowers have set seeds or did we lose th...
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February 13, 2007 - If plants absorb carbon dioxide why aren't they on a list of things to do to combat Global Warming?
If we had more plants on the sides of our roads and highways would it help?
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Starting program for growing wildflowers on highways in Dallas
March 04, 2003 - How can I start a planting program to grow wildflowers along the interstate and highways where I live?
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Winter snow and road salt in Michigan
June 27, 2010 - I have been asked to select plants for an area in zone5/6 that suffers from snow load and street salt during winters. The area is about 15x18 and has a deciduous tree in the center. Grass, which did ...
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Moving plants for extreme drought from Greencastle IN
August 23, 2012 - In exceptional drought here in Indiana, I am looking at weeds that may become my next perennials! How do I move what my dad called ragged robins from the edges of roads. They are blue and could be wil...
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