Moving in on Mile-a-Minute

Sarah Mard and Ned Stone, volunteers. May 6 was Sarah’s first invasives “visit” to Dyke Marsh. Ned is a veteran.

On May 6, 2019, 10 FODMers worked hard to remove and control the aggressive plant, mile-a-minute (Persicaria perfoliata), in the native plant area along the Haul Road trail in Dyke Marsh.  The plant, a pesky invasive, is forming mats that overwhelm valuable native plants.  Mile-a-minute is also known as Asiatic tearthumb because it has prickly little thorns on the stems. 

The target plant, mile-a-minute, has a distinctive triangular leaf.In two and half hours of work, the group pulled up about 95 percent of what they saw on that half acre.  In 2018, FODM and our partners planted about 4,000 native plants in the area and the challenge in 2019 is to nourish the natives and keep the invasive plants out.

A highlight of the day was a zebra swallowtail butterfly (Protographium marcellus) that fluttered around the site, “supporting” a goal of the project, to attract more native insects (photo below right).

FODM will have more sessions targeting other invasives. To help, send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Photos contributed by Glenda Booth.

The results of the team's work.

The group came upon a snakeskin.

Zebra swallowtail butterfly