The invasive plant problem at Meadow Croft is a generational challenge. AKA “The Roosevelt Estate,” it stands on a fork in Brown’s River, which separates Sayville from Bayport on Long Island’s South Shore. The estate was deeded to Suffolk County, and is now a park, with the house itself in the care of The Bayport Bluepoint Heritage Association, which over the decades has been steadily renovating this historic mansion.
It was John Roosevelt, Theodore’s first cousin, who owned it. There were originally three “Roosevelt” estates around Brown’s River. This was the last one, the only saved from falling apart.
The house is historic, but so are the grounds — The carriage house, the garage, what was planted where. The Long Island Conservancy has been focusing on this last part. What did the original planting plans look like? What invasive plants are of concern?
I suspect the prevalence of invasive wisteria north of the carriage house may have to do with the fact that the estate once had a Japanese garden. The accompanying Japanese honeysuckle, oriental bittersweet, and multiflora rose could have had such origins, but then these plants are among our most common invasive plants.
We were ready with a small army for Saturday the 29th, but it poured. Turnout went from 50 down to 6 for Sunday. Nonetheless, we were holy terrors. Everyone we equipped with loppers and gloves, and we liberated several trees. That’s V for “Victory!”
Most of our “Dirty Dozen Worst Invasive Plants” were here. We were taking out garlic mustard, mugwort, and the aforementioned Japanese imports. Unfortunately, there was also Japanese Knotweed.
It’s hard to see with all the wisteria and bittersweet, but the plant in the foreground with the broad green leaves is the culprit. They are considered among the worst invasive plants in the world as their roots shoot out a good distance and can bust through rock and of course building foundations. Very tough to kill.
We dealt not only with invasive plants at Meadow Croft, but also invasive insects, specifically Praying Mantises. Even more specifically, their egg cases. We found FOUR egg cases all within the native garden where we were weeding.
Since praying mantises feast on caterpillars, and the native plants we put in the garden are plants that attract native pollinators and feed their caterpillars (lots of bergamot, viburnum, seaside goldenrod), it makes sense there would be so many egg cases.
It takes 6000 caterpillars to feed a nest of songbirds, as per Prof. Douglas Tallamy. That’s about what a Chinese Praying Mantis will eat. So if you see these triangular egg cases, please stomp after verifying identification. Likewise mush any adult you see about. They’ve been known to take down hummingbirds.
Given the scope of the invasive plant problem, we need to come back in the fall when we can get at them again. We will let you know when we can calendar that.