Tropical Zone Gardening: Invading Hawaii......Polygonum capitatum: Knotweed, 1 by ardesia

ardesia wrote:
It is interesting to see what plants are invasive in one place and well behaved in others. I was stunned to see persacaria recently while visiting Hawaii. I was staying in Volcano Jon and I did wonder if the plant was as invasive as it is around here (at sea level actually) I have managed to remove it from my tiny garden with a combination of hand pulling and Round Up but I still get little bits popping up each spring.

While visiting with Carol she expressed dismay with Selaginella pallescens (although I believe you called it something else.) That one is a valuable plant here and it is not easy to keep healthy. Funny isn't it?

Most hedyciums will take over here if they have enough moisture in the soil. Our soil never goes below 55 degrees in the winter and although the tops die off the rhizomes flourish. I have seen seeds on mine but I have never tried to germinate them. I do not have to pull them up every day but it is a semi annual chore.

Watching plants establish themselves in such harsh conditions was fascinating to me. You live in a constantly changing environment.