Invasive Plant Control

Montebello's woodlands are a unique treasure, one of only a few non-parkland woods this large and diverse in urban Fairfax County.  Unfortunately, the health of our urban forest is threatened by plants that don't belong here.  Most of our woods are plants native to this region, but there are also many non-native plants, often escaped from ornamental landscapes nearby.  We use the term "invasive" for those non-natives that spread widely and out-compete our native plants.  Some invasive plants are quite beautiful, with colorful flowers and pleasing scents. But make no mistake--they are quietly lethal.  Invasive plants disrupt the ecological balance and disfigure the outdoor world where we walk, exercise, relax and enjoy nature.

Invasive Treatment by Professionals

Montebello management has engaged Invasive Plant Control (IPC), a company headquartered in Nashville, to treat invasive species on our grounds.  IPC will come back at scheduled intervals to follow up with both manual and chemical control measures, covering different parts of our woods in phases.  IPC is, however, also committed to supporting volunteer efforts, and it helped create the Weed Wrangle movement in conjunction with, initially, the Garden Club of Nashville, and, now, the Garden Clubs of America.

• Invasive Plant Treatment Plan

Fact Sheets about Invasive Species from PRISM*

• Autumn Olive

• Garlic Mustard

• Japanese Stiltgrass

• Japanese Honeysuckle

• Kudzu

• Lesser Celandine

• Mile-a-Minute

• Multiflora Rose

• Oriental Bittersweet (aka Asiatic Bittersweet)

• Porcelain-berry

• Privets

• Tree-of-Heaven

*Blue Ridge Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management