How to deal with pesky plants on your property

The P.E.I. Invasive Species Councilis hosting a workshop to raise awareness about pesky plants on Prince Edward Island.

Andrew McKenzie-Gopsill, chair of the council, says it's a great way to show Islanders how to control invasive plants they don't want in their garden or their fields.

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One of these invasive plant species on P.E.I. is the orientalbittersweet, a vined plant withruby red berries that twists its way up plants and objects, strangling trees and other speciesin its wake.

"It will wrap around trees and anything toactas a ladder to pull that plantup to the top of the canopy," McKenzie-Gopsill told Island Morning.

"It can be really attractive to look at, but it is really destructive."

The vined beast can grow up to 12 metres twice as tall as an adult giraffe, McKenzie-Gospill said.

Vines can take over yards

The plant has been spotted on the Island before, in Georgetown and Charlottetown, though he said it hasalso found its way to the New Haven area as well.

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He's even heard reports from Islanders that the vined plant has taken over yards and climbed up people's houses.

If the plant continues togoes untamedit could be a multi-year battle to completely remove them from your property, he said.

Looking ahead, the council plans to map all known locations of the vine to "get a better handle" on where it exists and to see what impactsit's having on the native ecosystem.

As well, he said the group is coming up with a management plan to give to homeowners to be able to tackle invasive species themselves.

The third annual workshop takes place at the Farm Centre in Charlottetownon Friday beginningat 1 p.m. and will have presentations from the council, Parks Canada, local conservationists and more.

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