Mile-a-Minute Vine (Persicaria perfoliata, a.k.a. Polygonum perfoliatum) has been detected in Rhode Island, on The Nature Conservancy’s Fresh Swamp Preserve, on Block Island. The initial observation was made by Paulinka de Rochemont, a butterfly watcher who asked RINHS for help identifying an unfamiliar plant she’d seen on a recent outing. The identification was confirmed by Les Mehrhoff of IPANE and Bill Brumbach of NEWFS and the scope of the infestation was confirmed by Block Island naturalist and RINHS member Kim Gaffett. Here are Kim’s photos of the infestation, which is fairly significant in size. Nice catch, Paulinka!

RINHS is working with The Nature Conservancy’s Block Island Program and the Block Island Community to organize pulling day to collect the vines and keep the ripening berries from being picked up by birds this fall. The event will be on Wednesday, September 24. Details are still being planned, but anyone interested in participating should call RINHS at 401-874-5800. Those coming from the mainland will have to be responsible for their own ferry ticket, but hey, a day in a wildlife preserve on Block Island is worth a lot.

Mile-a-Minute Vine is native to Eastern Asia, including China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, the Phillipines, and the Malay Peninsula. It is a member of the Buckwheat family (Polygonaceae). It was introduced accidentally into North America in the late 1930’s in Pennsylvania and has spread from there. It is an herbaceous, trailing plant, tolerant of many growing conditions but with a preference for moist soils and sunny situations. It is an annual in the Northeastern United States. It produces bright blue berries attractive to birds, which are the most likely vector in its spread. The fruit floats, so the plant may spread through water courses. The stem of Mile-a-Minute Vine is covered with numerous recurved barbs, from which it gets it’s alternative common name, “Asian Tearthumb.” The barbs assist it to scramble over other vegetation, which it then frequently smothers in dense growth. The dense, barbed growth greatly impairs access to areas for people and wildlife. Control is best acheived by pulling the plants before fruit is set (generally by mid to late summer). Herbicides are effective in killing the plant, but are likely to kill non-target plants that Mile-a-Minute climbs over, resulting in an opening in the vegetation that will promote the growth of surviving vines or new seedlings. For more information see: www.nps.gov/plants/ALIEN/fact/pepe1.htm

RINHS is a non-profit founded in 1994 to support those interested in studying and preserving the natural history of Rhode Island. A membership organization with over 400 members, RINHS facilitates the interests of naturalists through education and outreach programs, publications, web tools, and conferences, and by providing biodiversity data managment and technical assistance in field ecology and administrative capacity to land trusts, municipalities, government agencies, and researchers. Membership is open to all; for more information visit www.rinhs.org, email info[at]rinhs.org, or call 401-874-5800.

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