2009 PRESS RELEASES
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October 26, 2009
VIRGINIA ISSUES INVASIVE PLANT QUARANTINE IN FOUR LOCALITIES
Contact: Elaine J. Lidholm, 804.786.7686
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) today announced a temporary quarantine restricting the movement of Beach Vitex (Vitex rotundifolia) and articles known to be infested with any life stages of this plant into, within or from the counties of Accomack and Northampton on the Eastern Shore and the cities of Norfolk and Virginia Beach.
“Now is the time to take action to limit the spread of this highly invasive plant," said VDACS Commissioner Todd P. Haymore. “Beach Vitex, a deciduous, woody vine native to the Pacific Rim, grows rapidly along dunes and shorelines causing damage to these areas by crowding out native plants and threatening the habitats of various animals, including the endangered loggerhead sea turtle. Although sometimes used as an ornamental plant by property owners who are not aware of its invasive nature, Beach Vitex has been planted in the mid-Atlantic area for the purpose of stabilizing dunes. However, it is less effective than native grasses in controlling dune erosion. In fact, several native grasses are now considered superior for dune stabilization plantings.”
The purpose of this quarantine, which goes into effect October 26, 2009, is to help prevent the spread of Beach Vitex by prohibiting its artificial movement and the movement of those articles that are capable of transporting it. The quarantine restricts the movement of any life stage of the plant, including roots, stems and seeds and any article known to be infested with this plant, such as sand, soil or mulch known to contain Beach Vitex in any life stage.
The first confirmed finding of Beach Vitex in Virginia occurred in 2008. Since then, it has been detected in several sites in the Commonwealth. It has the potential to spread to other areas through artificial movement by individuals or through natural movement. Seeds and stems could be carried by water currents to uninfested coastal areas. The plant can reproduce easily from seeds and even the smallest pieces of broken stem.
The temporary quarantine, which will become permanent upon approval by the Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services, is designed to reduce the artificial spread of Beach Vitex to areas that currently are not infested. Without this quarantine, this invasive plant and articles infested with it would be allowed to move freely throughout the regulated areas, spreading the pest’s presence.
“I urge concerned citizens as well as affected landowners not to attempt eradication or control measures for this invasive plant on their own,” said Commissioner Haymore. “Instead, citizens should contact the VDACS Office of Plant and Pest Services or their local Virginia Tech Extension Office to report the presence of Beach Vitex.”
For more information on Beach Vitex, citizens should contact their city or county agricultural Extension agent, listed in the local government section of your telephone directory under Virginia Cooperative Extension Service (VCE), or visit VCE's Web site at www.ext.vt.edu/offices. They may also call VDACS’ Office of Plant and Pest Services in Richmond at 804.786.3515 or in Franklin at 757.562.6637. More information is available at www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/plants/beachvitex.shtml, the Web site of the United States Department of Agriculture, National Invasive Species Information Center.