NATURALIST'S 



NOTEBOOK 



vitex from the ground won't do, says Nash. 

 The root ball may still be intact, or stems may 

 break off, allowing the plant to recolonize a 

 cleared area. 



Herbicides are a potential option, says 

 Gresham, who is experimenting with different 

 herbicides and application methods on four 

 sites in Georgetown County. Three sites are on 

 Pawley's Island, and the fourth is on Litchfield 

 Beach. Each site contains three test plots 

 — one for each eradication method. 



The first method involves 

 cutting beach vitex down to 

 a stump and painting the 

 raw edge with glyphosate, 

 the active ingredient in 

 many common weed killers. 



A week after implementing this method, 

 Gresham returned to the plots and planted 

 sea oats. Later this year, he will assess how 

 well the sea oats have established themselves, 

 and how much, if any, beach vitex has grown 

 back. 



For the second method, called the "hack 

 and squirt" method in forestry, the plant 

 stem is wounded with a sharp object, and an 

 herbicide with the active ingredient imazapyr 

 is applied to the wounds. 



The third method, also borrowed from 

 forestry, involves applying basal paint, an 

 herbicide mixed with light oil, to a 12- to 

 18-inch section of the vine. The mixture 

 penetrates the bark and seeps into the plant's 

 tissue, Gresham explains. 



If the second and third eradication 

 treatments prove successful, Gresham will 

 plant all remaining plots with sea oats. But he 

 won't be able to assess the effectiveness of 

 each method until later this summer. 



What will be his criterion for success? 



"At least 70 percent of beach vitex is 

 dead in the areas where these methods were 

 used," he says. 



Eradicating beach vitex is critical, says 

 Nash. But given the plant's prolific nature, 

 research on herbicides designed to kill seeds 

 also may be needed. 



And for an invader with such diverse 

 methods of colonization, multiple eradication 

 efforts seem fitting. 



"We're finding that you can't get rid of it 

 with one swipe," Brabson says. "It's a vicious 

 contender." □ 



For more information about beach 

 vitex, or to report a possible 



sighting, log onto www. 

 beachvitex.org. 



so' 



0? 



New 

 Beach 

 Vitex 

 ID Card 



°fthi 



A beach vitex 

 identifica- 

 tion card is 

 available 

 for coastal 

 communi- 

 ties and 



citizens across the 

 Carolinas. Designed and produced by 

 North Carolina Sea Grant and South Carolina 

 Sea Grant, the pocket-sized, waterproof card 

 contains identifying pictures, line drawings 

 and descriptions of beach vitex. Free copies 

 are available from: 



CAROLINAS BEACH VITEX TASK FORCE 



• NC: David Nash, 910/452-6393, 

 davidjiash @ncsu. edu 



• SC: Betsy Brabson, 843/546-9531, 

 wbrabson@sccoast.net 



NORTH CAROLINA SEA GRANT 



• Sandra Harris, 919/515-9101, 

 harrbs@unity.ncsu.edu 



SOUTH CAROLINA SEA GRANT 



• Susan Ferris Hill, 843/727-2078, 

 susan.fenis@scseagrant.org 



U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 



• Dale Suiter, 919/856-4520 ext. 18, 

 dale_suiter@fivs.gov 



Coastwatch I Spring 2006 I www.ncseagrant.org 29 



