MARCH 1954
CHEROKEE ROSE, ALDER
and
Certain Other
Pasture Weeds
AGRICULTURAL
-114, ALABAMA P
F. V. Smith, Director
EXPERI ME NT
OLYTECHNIC I
STATION
NSTITUTE
Auburn, Alabama
LEAFLET 43
sawmv
The most practical and economical
method of controlling a heavy infesta-
tion of Cherokee rose is: (1) remove
the top growth of roses with a rotary
type mower; (2) when the new growth
of roses reaches a length of 12 to 18
inches, apply 2 pounds (acid equiva-
lent) of an amine form of 2,4-D per
acre or 1 pound of the low volatile es-
ter. Repeat the chemical treatment as
often as the new growth of roses
reaches the above length.
Large clumps of Cherokee rose can
be killed with 10 pounds of concen-
trated Borascu per 100 square feet of
area or other materials containing an
equivalent amount of boron oxide, or
with CMU at the rate of 0.17 of a
pound per 100 square feet. These
chemicals must be evenly distributed
over the entire area covered by the
roses. The soil may stay sterile for one
year or longer.
Bitterweed or yellow top, marsh el-
der or wax weed, dog fennell or sum-
mer cedar, dock, verbena, and white
thoroughwort can be controlled by ap-
plications of 1 pound (acid equivalent)
of 2,4-D amine per acre mixed with
sufficient water to give good coverage.
Apply this mixture as often as necessary
for control.
Alder can be controlled during the
dormant season by applying 2,4,5-T in
diesel fuel to the bottom 18 to 24 inches
of the stems until thoroughly wet. Mix
2,4,5-T with diesel fuel at the rate of
8 pounds (acid equivalent) per 100 gal-
lons of fuel. Alder may be controlled
also during the summer with a foliage
spray of 2,4-D or 2,4,5-T, or mixtures
of the two. Mix these materials with
water at the rate of 11/2 pounds (acid
equivalent) per 100 gallons of water.
In applying, be sure to thoroughly wet
each plant.
Left-Large clump of Cherokee rose killed with concentrated
Borascu at the rate of 10 pounds per 100 square feet; right-
bitterweed controlled with 1 pound of 2,4-D amine per acre in
a common lespedeza-Dallisgrass pasture. Bitterweed infestation
is indicated by the amount in untreated area.
[2]
A ?T\TY ~~Clln W I~L T ?~\ O~~~L1T~I~I ~ll~ 7rlr\lllU~1
CHEROKEE ROSE, ALDER
and
Certain Other Pasture Weeds*
V. S. SEARCY, Assistant Agronomist
W EED CONTROL is an important
pasture management practice. Many
common weeds, particularly annuals,
become less serious as pastures are fer-
tilized, seeded to desirable forage spe-
cies, stocked at the most favorable rate,
and mowed when needed. After these
are done additional investments for
weed control are often profitable.
Because of peculiar growth habits,
some pasture weeds are not easily con-
trolled by competition or mechanical
means. Cherokee rose, Rosa bracteata,
is one of the best known examples. This
pest is widespread in the Black Belt
area of Alabama, where it is estimated
that enough land is covered by Chero-
kee rose in nine counties to produce 1.5
million pounds of beef annually if it
were in productive pasture. Cherokee
rose is not a problem on forage areas
that are in a short rotation with row
crops. However, on permanent pastures
the only satisfactory control is the use
of chemicals.
Another weed pest of pastures that
requires special attention is alder, Al-
nus rugosa. This bush usually grows
on the best pasture soils. It makes a
* The results of research reported in this
publication were obtained in cooperation
with Lavern Brown, Superintendent, Low-
er Coastal Plain Substation, and E. L.
Mayton, Superintendent, Piedmont Sub-
station.
dense heavy growth that is too heavy
to mow with conventional-type mowers.
Cutting by hand is expensive and is
not satisfactory because the roots are
not killed and the new growth of
sprouts may reach a height of 5 to 6
feet in one growing season.
It is with pests such as these that
chemical weed control is most satisfac-
tory. Under certain conditions chemi-
cals also may be used profitably for the
control of such weeds as bitterweed
(yellow top or sneezeweed) Helenium
tenufolium, dock or sorrel Rumex sp.,
dog fennel (cypressweed or summer
cedar) Eupatorium capillifolium, and
marsh elder (camphorweed, or wax
weed) Iva ciliata. When wisely used,
chemical weed control becomes one of
the most important phases of pasture
management. However, it is not a sub-
stitute for other good pasture manage-
ment practices.
CONTROL o CHEROKEE ROSE
Use of 2,4-D in Open Pastures
Results from 4 years' reseach (1950-
53) at the Lower Coastal Plain Substa-
tion, Camden, Alabama, show that
Cherokee rose can be controlled with
chemicals. Presented here are the pro-
cedures found most satisfactory for
control of the pest in (1) open pastures
containing common lespedeza and Dal-
[3]
lisgrass, (2) open pastures of a white-
clover-grass combination, and (3) inac-
cessible places.
Common lespedeza-Dallisgrass
pasture. To control Cherokee rose in
common lespedeza-Dallisgrass pastures,
follow these steps:
1. Remove top growth of old roses.
One of the best ways is with a rotary
type mower.
2. When new growth or seedling
roses reach 12 to 18 inches, spray with
2 pounds (acid equivalent) of an amine
form of 2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxy-
acetic acid) per acre or 1 pound of a
low volatile ester of 2,4-D. Mix the
2,4-D with enough water to give good
coverage. It has been found in these
experiments that 20 gallons of water
per acre is enough in most cases.
While 1 pound of 2,4-D amine re-
sulted in good control of Cherokee rose
in the experiments, it did not give as
complete kill as the 2-pound rate or the
1-pound rate of low volatile ester.
3. Do not spray when the lespedeza
is in the seedling stage, because severe
injury may occur. The first application
usually can be made in May.
4. Repeat the application of 2,4-D
as often as the roses reach a length of
12 to 18 inches. Two to three applica-
tions per growing season usually are
required for good control. Continue
the spray schedule the succeeding
growing season or for as long as the
Cherokee rose is present.
All Cherokee rose treated as just de-
scribed for three successive years with
a total of seven chemical applications
were not completely dead. However,
many of the old roses were killed. It
appears that the larger the clump the
longer it takes to obtain complete kill.
Plants from seed are still coming up
and it is not known how long the seed
will germinate.
Slight injury on common lespedeza
has been observed from the use of 2
pounds per acre of an amine form of
2,4-D or 1 pound per acre of the low
volatile ester. No injury has ever been
observed on common lespedeza from
the use of 1 pound of 2,4-D amine per
acre, except when applied during the
seedling stage. Dallisgrass has not been
injured by any rate of 2,4-D tested.
White clover-grass pastures. If
Cherokee roses are to be controlled in a
white clover-grass pasture use the same
procedure as described for a common
lespedeza-Dallisgrass pasture, keeping
the following points in mind:
1. Use only I pound per acre of an
amine form of 2,4-D as long as good
control is obtained. White clover can
be killed with 2,4-D. As the rate of
2,4-D is increased so is the injury to
the clover. Therefore, the amount of
clover growth will decrease as the rate
of 2,4-D is increased.
2. Do not apply 2,4-D to white clov-
er until it is well established or during
the winter when there is danger of a
freeze. Clover injured by 2,4-D may
be completely killed by a hard freeze.
Control in Inaccessible Places
with Soil Sterilants
Where large clumps of roses are to
be killed with one application, use
either of the following:
1. Concentrated B o r a s c u at 10
pounds per 100 square feet of area.
2. Borascu at 15 pounds per 100
square feet of area.
8. Gerstley Borate at 15 pounds per
100 square feet of area.
4. CMU at 0.17 of a pound per 100
square feet of area.
The above rates are minimum dos-
ages, and poor results may be expected
if less amounts are used. The chem-
icals must be evenly applied to the en-
tire area covered by the roses or only
poor results can be expected. Except
for CMU, all of the above chemicals
may be applied by hand in the dry
form. Because of the small quantity
needed, it is better to apply CMU in
water as a spray. These chemicals at
the rates designated are considered as
[4]
soil sterilants. The soil may be free of
vegetation for one year or more, de-
pending on soil type, temperature, and
rainfall. All of the above materials
may be applied during any season of
the year. This method of control is of
particular importance in inaccesible
places. If roses are not controlled in
those areas that are inaccessible to
mowers and spray machines, they will
always be a source of seed infestation.
CONTROL o4 OTHER WEEDS
Where 2,4-D is being used for the
control of Cherokee rose as previously
described, the following weeds will
also be controlled. Marsh elder or wax
weed, bitterweed or yellow top, dog
fennell or summer cedar, dock, ver-
bena Verbena bonariensis, and white
thoroughwort Eupatorium album. Dew-
berry Rubus sp., and St. Johns-wort
Hypericum gentianoides will be par-
tially controlled.
If Cherokee roses are not present, all
of the foregoing weeds except St. Johns-
wort and dewberry can be controlled
with 1 pound (acid equivalent) of 2,4-D
amine per acre. Apply as often as nec-
essary for control.
CONTROL eo ALDER
Results of experiments at the Pied-
mont Substation, Camp Hill, Alabama,
have shown that alder can be controlled
with chemicals. Treatments can be
made any convenient time during the
year. Frequently, it is desirable to
kill brush, such as alder, during the
winter. Some of the more important
reasons are (1) more labor available,
(2) safer to use certain chemicals from
the standpoint of crop damage, and (3)
easier for man to penetrate dense
growth so that a better job of spray-
ing can be done.
Dormant Treatment. Mix the
low volatile ester of 2,4,5-T (2,4,5-tri-
chlorophenoxyacetic acid) at the rate
of 8 to 12 pounds (acid equivalent) per
100 gallons of diesel fuel, or other
cheap oils such as kerosene, or tractor
fuel. Apply to the bottom 18 to 24
inches of the alder stems until thor-
oughly and completely wet. A knap-
sack sprayer is probably best for ap-
plying the spray because it is easily
portable. A faster job usually can be
done if the sprayer is equipped with a
forked boom containing two spray noz-
zles. The fork in the boom should be
curved so as to spray two sides of the
stem at the same time.
The procedure and treatment de-
scribed above will also kill sweet gum
and several other hardwoods. However,
it must be remembered that most of
the hardwoods are harder to kill than
alder. It is difficult to kill the oaks and
persimmons because of sprouting at the
base.
Brush killed as described here should
not be cut down until dead.
Summer Foliage Treatment.
Where it is desirable to control alder
during the summer any of the follow-
ing compounds or mixtures of them
were found to be satisfactory: 2,4-D
amine, 2,4-D low volatile ester, and
2,4,5-T low volatile ester.
Any of these compounds will kill al-
der if applied at the rate of 1% pounds
(acid equivalent) per 100 gallons of
water, provided the entire plant is thor-
oughly and completely wet. These ma-
terials are best applied with a power
sprayer. It is difficult to obtain good
coverage with a knapsack sprayer in
tall dense stands of alder. The amount
of kill will depend on how good a job
of spraying is done.
PRECAUTIONS l USE
1. 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T are very toxic
to many plants, such as cotton, soy-
beans, v e get able s, and ornamental
crops. Extreme care must be used to
[5]
prevent these chemicals from coming
in contact with desirable plants or se-
rious injury may result.
2. Do not spray 2,4-D or 2,4,5-T
near sensitive plants, especially when
the wind is blowing toward the plants.
8. If a high volatile ester of 2,4-D or
2,4,5-T is used, special precautions
must be used. Some of the common
high volatile esters of 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T
are butyl, isopropyl, ethyl, and methyl.
These compounds will volatilize in
warm weather; the vapors will follow
air currents and will kill or damage
plants for a considerable distance. They
should not be used except in isolated
places where there is no danger of
drift to desirable plants.
4. Do not use a sprayer that 
has ever
been used to spray 2,4-D or 2,4,5-T
for applying insecticides or fungicides
to plants. It is almost impossible to
wash these chemicals out of a sprayer.
Since 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T are not toxic
to warm-blooded animals, sprayers used
to apply these chemicals may be ustd
for spraying livestock and barns.
5. Soil sterilants, such as the borate
compounds and CMU, should not be
used near desirable trees and shrubs.
[6]