Japanese ardisia
Native to: Japan
Japanese ardisia escaped cultivation and began establishing populations in the wild in the early 2000s. It can be purchased from nurseries, but should be avoided in north Florida. Ardisia japonica spreads as a cluster of low, slender stems less than one foot tall that have no branches above ground. Two other species in the same genus are invasive in Florida (Ardisia crenata and Ardisia elliptica).
Japanese ardisia is shade tolerant and invades hardwood forests. This low-growing groundcover shades out native plants on the forest floor. It can rapidly spread by suckers to form a dense groundcover and can produce large colonies over time.
Japanese ardisia is not recomended by UF/IFAS. The UF/IFAS Assessment lists it as invasive in north Florida, a species of concern in central Florida and not a problem in south Florida. It is listed as a Category II by FLEPPC.
Prevent Japanese ardisia from becoming established by learning to identify it and removing it when present. Maintaing a diversity of native plants will increase resilancy against invasions by plants such as this one. Gallberry (Ilex glabra), shiny blueberry (Vaccinium myrsinites) and partridgeberry (Mitchella repens) are native alternatives to Japanese ardisia.
Remove berries, seedlings and mature plants. Japanese ardisia has long suckers that can grow up to 20 feet from the parent plant, so removing these is important to prevent resprouting.
Hand pulling is very difficult and digging may be required to remove the rhizomes.
There are no known biological controls for Japanese ardidia.
This species is very difficult to control. Foliar treatments with a triclopyr ester or triclopyr acid product at 2% v/v may control topgrowth, but multiple treatments may be required to eliminate the dense network of roots and rhizomes.
