ALIENS HAVE ARRIVED 

When you walk around the pond there is just no end to the things you can learn, especially if you do the rounds with Dr. Jesien, Maryland Coastal Bays Program.  What I learned on a recent visit to Oyster shoreline: This is where we planted the spartina, the aquatic grass that will hold the shoreline in place. Growing up in the middle of the spartina is saltmarsh water hemp (Amaranthus cannabinus). Even though it's species is cannabinus, it does not get you high. The seeds are wind pollinated and are readily eaten by ducks and sparrows. We have been invaded by this alien plant because of the disturbed habitat. The sand. You thought hemp was interesting, read on. The hemp is growing right through the middle of the spartina and has formed a symbiont relationship. Only the spartina with the hemp survived. Now the hemp wants to dominate. Those plants are starting to act like humans! They have to be removed from the spartina surgically. We have to cut those bad boys out.  This must be done before they go to seed or the waterhemp will infest the all the areas. Just what we need.... phrags and waterhemp! Hmmmm! I'm thinking this could be therapeutic for us to work out our frustrations by cutting those suckers out! This could be better than going to a psychiatrist. MAYBE we should charge people to come to the pond and cut the aliens out and  get rid of  yayas . Sounds like a win-win situation to me. 

OK.  the waterhemp isn't really alien and its seeds are good for wildlife. The problem is the spartina has a better root system for holding the soil, we prefer to have more spartina than hemp. It is more of a real estate problem, location, location, location. The hemp is ok but not to much and definitely NOT on top of our spartina which was paid for by money and our labor.

 

Here it is! The plant with the red stem is the hemp. We tried pulling it out, that didn't work because it dislodged the spartina. The hemp growing alone comes out very easy.