Dr. Karen Hickman sits down with John Weir, Dr. Laura Goodman, and Dr. Mark Turner to talk invasive plants across the Great Plainsâwhatâs here, whatâs coming, and why our best defense often starts with a clean pickup, a better plant choice, and a tighter contract.Â
We walk through Callery/Bradford pearâs âovernightâ takeover, Old World bluestemâs misnamed reputation, and how sericea, Johnson grass, privet, kudzu, honeysuckle, tree-of-heaven, Siberian elm and others move from roadsides to rangeland.
Youâll hear field-tested tips: early detection/rapid response, where to scout first (gates, pens, ditches), what to tell pipeline and oilfield crews about decontamination, how hay can import problems after wildfire, and why tall, highly productive grasses (miscanthus, giant reed/cane, phragmites) pose wildfire risks on the urbanârural edge.Â
We wrap with Oklahomaâs watch lists, better native alternatives (hello, Mexican plum), and a clear messageâdonât plant your problems.
Top 10 takeaways
- Callery/Bradford pear spreads fast once cross-pollinating varieties arriveâtwo fallow years can become a thicket.
- Old World bluestem rides roads and rights-of-way; âbluestemâ naming drives confusion with natives.
- Johnson grass, sericea, privet, honeysuckle, kudzu, tree-of-heaven, Siberian elm remain priority species to control.
- Focus early detection at high-traffic nodes: gates, pens, ditches, well pads, pipeline corridors.
- Require equipment decontamination (power-wash, mud removal) in contracts with oil & gas, utility, and construction crews.
- Be cautious with hay imports, especially after wildfireâweed seeds (and insects) ride along.
- Avoid planting tall, high-biomass ornamentals (miscanthus, giant reed/cane, phragmites) near homesâwildfire risk.
- Prefer native alternatives (e.g., Mexican plum instead of Callery pear); many ornamentals marketed as âsterileâ arenât.
- Oklahoma needs ; enforcement without budget wonât work.