2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013

Questions and Answers: 2019

Question: Hello, I am looking for a conservation recommendation. I recently bought 6 acres of hemlock-birch woodland in Windsor NH. I …

• Question

  Hello, I am looking for a conservation recommendation. I recently bought 6 acres of hemlock-birch woodland in Windsor NH. I just found broad-leaved helleborine (Epipactis helleborine) there. I know it is non-native, and I have heard it called invasive. If it is likely to be harmful, I will certainly remove it. But it's also beautiful and I would keep it if it wasn't likely to cause problems. Do you recommend I remove it? Thank you very much, Laura ljcost@gmail.com

  Answer

  Dear Laura, While Epipactis helleborine is non-native, it is not invasive in the northeast. It occurs here and there, not too frequently, usually in forested situations. I've never seen it growing at densities to push out other plants and it is not likely to grow in that way anywhere. Therefore, the decision to remove it really comes down to how "pure" you want the forest to be, if we even know what that means. I don't remove it where I see it, but I also recognize it is non-native. Best wishes.