For those of us who prefer wildflowers to bird poop, buckthorn is not a good neighbor. This incredibly invasive plant doesn't just shade out native plants – it alters the soil chemistry to inhibit their growth. Even its fruit is treacherous – birds find it delicious, but it has a laxative effect which robs them of nutrients (and produces a mess). (To add insult to these injuries, buckthorn is also a host for crown rust, a fungus that infects oats and barley, lowering yields in nearby farms.)
Here’s the good news: Now is a great time to easily identify and remove these pesky plants! In this week’s report, staff phenologist John Latimer shares how to find and remove these obnoxious intruders.
Topics
- Introduction (0:00-0:20)
- Climate change has changed frost averages by nearly a month (0:20-4:59)
- Tree colors (4:59 – 8:24)
- Dogwood and other midstory colors (8:24 – 10:26)
- Hazels and grouse hunting (10:26 - 11:24)
- Migratory birds (11:24 – 12:40)
- Green darner and other dragonflies (12:40 – 15:09)
- Northern holly (15:09 – 15:40)
- Tamarack colors (15:40 – 16:00)
- Pine needles falling (16:00 – 16:26)
- Conclusion (16:26 - 17:25)
What have you seen out there? Let us know: email us at comments@kaxe.org or text us at 218-326-1234.
That does it for this week! For more phenology, <b>subscribe</b> to our Season Watch Newsletter or visit the Season Watch Facebook page.
Funding for this project was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).
