Overview

Flowering rush is a perennial wetland/aquatic plant that is native to Eurasia that was first identified along the St. Lawrence River in Quebec in 1897. Flowering rush has since spread across Southern Canada and the Northern U.S. (Washington to Maine) where it is considered an invasive species that thrives along wetlands, shallow shorelines, and in submersed habitats of lakes, ponds, streams, rivers, and reservoirs. Throughout most of its introduced range, flowering rush forms large monotypic stands that compete with native species and displace more desirable plants. Displacement of native plants can alter wildlife habitats, thus, making flowering rush a species of concern. The impacts of flowering rush to water use are significant as it has colonized and inhibited recreational, agricultural, industrial, and commercial use of water bodies. Flowering rush is continuing to spread south in the U.S. and should be of concern to resource managers with limited resources to manage this species.

The purpose of this project was to:

• gain a better understanding of the flowering rush life cycle
• investigate chemical control strategies for flowering rush
• develop an adaptive management framework for resource managers to utilize for flowering rush reduction.

Funding

This work was supported by the Pelican River Watershed District.

Period of Performance

January 2014 – December 2018