Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas

Swearingen, J., K. Reshetiloff, B. Slattery, and S. Zwicker. 2002. Plant Invaders of
Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas. National Park Service and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, 82 pp.

Brent Steury, NPS

Marsh dewflower, a member of the spiderwort family and native of eastern Asia, was first noted in 1935 in cultivated rice paddies in South Carolina. It escaped and has become established in the wild in 18 southern states and the District of Columbia. Marsh dewflower prefers damp soil at the edge of freshwater tidal marshes, around ponds and along slow moving streams. Its aggressive growth enables it to out-compete native plants by forming dense mats. Seeds are dispersed by wildlife. It also spreads when floods distribute root fragments to new locations.

Prevention and Control
Hand pulling may be effective if done before the plant sets seed. Glyphosate treatments were ineffective when applied early in the season.

Native Alternatives
water plantain (Alisma subcordatum), three-way sedge (Dulichium arundinaceum), duck-potato or arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia or rigida)

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