Town Offices (Town Hall, Libraries, Recreation, Social Services, Senior Center, LP Wilson Community Center, 330 Windsor Avenue Community Center, Caring Connection, & Public Works) will close at 12:30pm on Friday, December 15, 2023 for the Town’s annual employee appreciation event. Please join us in thanking each and every one of our employees for the hard work that they do throughout the year! We apologize for any inconvenience that this may have. Select services are available online (GIS, building permits, program registration, tax payments, land records search, etc).

Invasive Species Forum & Field Walk

Invasive or Noninvasive: That is the Question!

Are there unwanted and unidentifiable plants creeping into your backyard, gardens, or landscape? They could be considered an invasive species! Find out more from the Conservation Commission’s Brad Robinson, former environmentalist at DEEP, on Thursday, June 2nd at 7 pm. At this Invasive Species Forum, we will discuss the various invasive plant species affecting our native environments and becoming an increasing environmental issue. Click below to attend.

Image credit: Chris Evans, University of Illinois, Bugwood.org

Oriental bittersweet

(Celastrus orbiculatus)

A Connecticut invasive

Like most of New England, Connecticut has a number of invasive species that are displacing native plants. One such plant is Oriental bittersweet, or Asiatic bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus). This woody vine quickly out-competes native species for nutrients, water and optimal sunlight exposure. This vine grows around existing structures including shrubs and trees. This significant weight addition deforms and cripples the host plant, impacting overall health and production levels and increasing susceptibility to limb breakage, uprooting, and trunk failure.

The fruit-encased seeds are spread predominantly through consumption by birds, deer and small mammals. Spread may also occur through sprouts stemming from existing root structures. This presents an opportunity for re-sprouting if roots aren’t entirely removed!

Control and removal may become difficult where there is a high level of growth and matting of vines. There are several methods to removing, or reducing the growth, which include the use of herbicides and manual/mechanical removal.

Be careful when removing plants that contain berries – you may facilitate further spread if the berries aren’t contained properly!

Join the Town of Windsor Conservation Commission’s Forum on Invasive Plants on June 2nd at 7pm to learn more!

Additional Online Resources:

Oriental Bittersweet Fact sheet – Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group

Weeds Gone Wild: Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas – Plant Conservation Alliance

Weed of the Week – USDA Forest Service

Invasive Plants In Your Backyard! (Page 16) – Connecticut River Coastal Conservation District, Inc.