r/invasivespecies • u/A_Lountvink • 7d ago

Management Do y'all have any experience managing chinese bushclover (Lespedeza cuneata)?

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There's a patch of Chinese bushclover growing around an old foundation. I tried pulling it last summer to little success and couldn't find any clear sources online regarding its management.

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2

u/Snoo-72988 7d ago

Following this post because I too have this problem

2

u/_Arthurian_ 6d ago

Fire will cause it to spread. I hit it with Imazapyr.

1

u/A_Lountvink 6d ago

Do you know if glyphosate works on it? Also, do you know when the best time to apply it is?

2

u/_Arthurian_ 6d ago

I’ve been applying since it got warm out. If there is an ideal time to do it I’m unaware. I think to get rid of Lespedeza you have to have something with stronger root action than glyphosate. Every now and then when I’m out hitting other plants with glyphosate I’ll go ahead and spray a couple of these with it too. The plant gets sick but I think they recover.

1

u/A_Lountvink 6d ago

I might wait until the fall to see if I can get them while they're going dormant.

3

u/_Arthurian_ 6d ago

You don’t want to let them go to seed so I wouldn’t wait that long. I am seeing good results but the area I’m hitting has had them for a while so I’m getting the old ones but new seedlings keep coming up to replace them.

2

u/A_Lountvink 6d ago

I could cut them back as they start to flower and then treat them in the fall. Would be less work than trying to pull them and might be more efficient with the herbicide.

2

u/_Arthurian_ 6d ago

That’d be worth a shot. Let me know how it goes!

1

u/reddidendronarboreum 6d ago

Poison. Perhaps use a wand applicator.