FOR-177: Field Guide to Kentucky's Invasive Plants

Ellen Crocker | Oct. 11, 2024 (New)

Invasive plants are non-native plants that cause ecological, environmental, or economic damage. Because they can spread rapidly and take over, forming dense monocultures, invasive plants threaten the diversity and health of forests, prairies, streams, and other natural areas. In addition, they can cause a range of other problems, from harm to native plants and animals to losses in agriculture, tourism, and property value.

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FOR-174: Fall Webworms

Ellen Crocker, Jonathan Larson | Oct. 31, 2023 (New)

Fall webworms are native tent caterpillars that can be found throughout the United States and southern Canada. This species is distinguished by its "tent" constructed at the ends of tree branches, allowing caterpillars to feed gregariously on enclosed foliage. While these insects can cause heavy defoliation, especially during periodic outbreaks, fall webworms by themselves do not cause mortality in healthy trees and are typically not a serious concern meriting management. However, other tent-forming caterpillars may be confused with fall webworm (such as the eastern tent caterpillar) and learning to distinguish these species can be useful for understanding potential impacts.

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FOR-175: Woodland Invasive Plant Management Series: Bush Honeysuckle

John Cox, Ellen Crocker, Jacob Muller, Jeff Stringer, Billy Thomas | Oct. 31, 2023 (New)

Several species of Asian bush honeysuckle in the genus Lonicera are invasive in North America. The most common invasive bush honeysuckle species in Kentucky is the Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) but other invasive honeysuckle species include L. morrowii, L. tatarica, L. x bella. These species, originally native to China, Korea and parts of Japan, were introduced to the U.S. as far back as the late 1800s and were promoted for conservation and wildlife uses in the 1960s and 1970s. Unfortunately, bush honeysuckles are still popular ornamental plants despite easily escaping into natural areas. The negative impact of dense stands of these species and the ease in which they can escape cultivation is a major concern across the region.

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FOR-171: Best Practices for Mushroom Foraging in Kentucky

Megan Buland, Ellen Crocker, Brandon George | May. 19, 2023 (New)

Kentucky is a great place to forage wild mushrooms. Its extensive forests are home to many different edible fungi including morels, chanterelles, lions' mane, chicken of the woods, oyster mushrooms, and more. While mushroom hunting is a great hobby, it is not without risks. Many mushrooms can cause illness if consumed and some are deadly poisonous, resulting in lasting illness or even death. Even those broadly considered edible should be approached cautiously as improper storage and cooking, drug interactions, and allergies can all result in adverse reactions.

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PPFS-OR-H-11: Common Problems of Annuals and Perennials: An Index

Ellen Crocker, Jamie Dockery, Nicole Ward Gauthier, Jonathan Larson, Kimberly Leonberger | Aug. 2, 2021 (New)

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PPFS-OR-W-31: Common Problems of Common Shrubs: An Index

Ellen Crocker, Jamie Dockery, Nicole Ward Gauthier, Jonathan Larson, Kimberly Leonberger | Jul. 19, 2021 (New)

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PPFS-OR-W-30: Common Problems of Common Trees: An Index

Ellen Crocker, Jamie Dockery, Nicole Ward Gauthier, Jonathan Larson, Kimberly Leonberger | Jul. 19, 2021 (New)

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PPFS-OR-W-28: Laurel Wilt Disease and Redbay Ambrosia Beetle

Ellen Crocker, Tyler Dreaden, Nicole Ward Gauthier, Jonathan Larson, Kimberly Leonberger | Jul. 8, 2020 (New)

Laurel wilt is a newly discovered fungal disease that presents a major threat to sassafras in Kentucky. The disease was first detected in the U.S. in 2003 and in southwestern Kentucky in 2019. Currently, laurel wilt is known to occur in eleven southeastern states bordered by Kentucky (north), North Carolina (east), Florida (south), and Texas (west). Research is ongoing to determine the impact and distribution of both the laurel wilt fungus and the redbay ambrosia beetle that carries it.

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ID-244: Landscape Site Assessment

Ellen Crocker, Rick Durham, Bill Fountain | Sep. 6, 2017 (New)

The most common reason trees and shrubs fail to perform as anticipated is that their cultural requirements differ from the site characteristics. People often plant things they know and love from a distant state, purchase because they are on sale, or find attractive but don't understand the environmental requirements. In some cases, a site can be easily modified to make it more suitable for a desired species. Most of the time, it is difficult or impossible to change the site characteristics enough for the plant to thrive. Appropriate watering is essential for establishment of recently transplanted trees and shrubs. This becomes even more important (and challenging) for plants poorly matched to their sites. Selecting plant species that will thrive under particular site conditions is an easier and less expensive option. The first step in doing this is to understand the site where you plan to plant.

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ID-241: After Your Ash Has Died: Making an Informed Decision on What to Replant

Ellen Crocker, Bill Fountain, Lee Townsend, Nicole Ward Gauthier | Dec. 22, 2016 (New)

Unfortunately the emerald ash borer is only the latest in a series of invasive pests that have recently decimated our trees. Here, we provide basic information on the death of our ash trees and what types of species are less likely to be impacted by invasive insects and diseases in the future.