Maine’s Forests Under Siege by Newest Invasive Plant

If you have ever heard of Japanese Stiltgrass, you know how invasive it can be. You may think, what the heck is all the fuss over grass?

Well, according to News Center Maine, it’s “this is probably the most aggressively spreading invasive plant in Maine."

Dangerous even.

Our state has even had to pull together an army of folks to try and eliminate this grass. Volunteers and biologists in York have been called out to the newly found infestation.  

As per the article, this grass was first seen in our state 5 years ago and has turning into a growing nuisance.

The latest discovery in York on Vineyard Lane included a huge patch and it’s already causing a lot of disturbance. How can grass do that?  

News Center Maine is all over this, check it out on YouTube.

It’s mysterious and sneaky, almost like it has an agenda to destroy. 

The Japanese Stiltgrass changes the chemistry of the soil as well as native plants, leaving them brittle, dry and pretty dead. This is dangerous because it increases the risk of wild fires and it spreads fast.  

“It’s easy to pull this grass out, and if we don’t, it’s going to win the war,” is what one volunteer said, as per the article. 

Read More: This Gorgeous Maine Plant is Actually a Total Menace 

According to the Urban Forest Alliance, the stiltgrass "destroys biodiversity and kills natural habitat"

The article goes on to say that this is a long term project and will return to the affected area each year for the next five in order to continue to rip it out and keep the plant from making a home in our soil.

So, if you come across Japanese Stiltgrass or what you believe is this grass, reach out to Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.