By Riley Buley
Photo submitted
Fillmore SWCD secured funding to treat 0.85 miles of stream banks along Maple Creek against the invasive knotweed. Originally brought to the U.S. as an ornamental plant, knotweed can cause harm to stream-bed areas and overcrowd native vegetation. It is a bamboo-like plant with broad leaves and white flowers that can reach over 10 feet in height. Knotweed can spread via fragmentation of its roots and stems, making infestations hard to manage. Physical and chemical treatment methods to remove knotweed do exist, and it is important to consult product labels as well as talk to a professional before attempting treatment.
Funding for this knotweed removal project came from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s Noxious Weed and Invasive Plant Grant. Further information and pamphlets on Knotweed can be obtained from Fillmore SWCD.