The mulberries and their relatives are well-known for having an incredibly diverse array of leaf morphologies. The no-fingers (sock), mitten (one lobe), and glove (multiple lobes) are all found on each of the species commonly seen around the midwest and south. I would include amongst these:
•Broussonetia papyrifera Paper mulberry; exotic BIG PEST
•Morus alba White or Asian mulberry; exotic BIG PEST
•Morus rubra Red mulberry; native, not a pest here
Since shirleyt has mentioned that this plant has been cut back repeatedly over years, it is exhibiting some exuberance escaping from exile. It is entirely possible and normal that these oversized and excessively ornately lobed leaves are simply a result of phenomenal new growth vigor, trying to photosynthesize and make up for some lost time (before shirleyt comes back to whack on them again).
Shirleyt: when next you dare to take on the yellow flies, prune off about 3-4' stem (looks like there are plenty to choose from) and bring it back to a safe place, well-lit, with a light background (sidewalk, driveway, garage floor, table top) and take some pics there. Show the whole chunk; show a closeup of the buds where the leaf joins the stem; show the top of a leaf; show the underside of a leaf; and show a closeup of the stem. This information will help eliminate some options, and may provide enough info to positively ID your plant.
The two Morus species will have smooth stems; the Broussonetia will have hairy stems. Other separation characteristics are harder to put into words. I'll wait for more pictures before I rule in/out any of the above, or other choices which may reveal themselves.
Mimosa picture
Even if those oversized ornately lobed leaves are in fact a result of compensatory growth, there is no way that is Red Mulberry or I'll bake double chocolate brownies with nuts in them for you John. My bet is that is an African or an Australian Morus. Which one I don't know.
I took a trip to Memphis recently and snapped these pictures of Mimosa growing rampant on the roadsides. Some are blurry because I was going down the road. If you can zoom in it helps. Its the same way in my area too.
Here is a huge clump of it growing next to some farmland.
Our local newspaper gardening guru, whom I loath by the way for her torrents of bad advice, ran a column about how to successfully grow a mimosa in our area, zone 5. I think I will send her some info about the tree and see if I can get a correction. I doubt it.
Morus bombycis?
Morus Maulbeerbaum?
Equilibrium....I am glad to know that it is a mulberry......I have decided it is the Red mulberry since you say the other two is a pest......this one never had plants pop under it and it was a very beautiful tree for years and years I personnaly knew it for 60.....so by that deduction I am happy to let it come back from its root system and hopefully another generation will be able to enjoy it as did this community....They were sad when it went down in a minor storm.....they had enjoyed it for years also...Area kids used to climb it and pick the beautiful sweet berries....I made jelly and jam from them...and of course good old pie..... thank you for your help....shirleyt
I sent your photo off to two people a while ago and although they believe it to be of the Mulberry Family, they feel relatively confident that your photo does not depict Morus rubra which is the North American native and that's without them being able to examine the underside of the leaf. The two Latin names I posted above were given to me as possibilities by the one gal that I sent your photo to. Spontaneous seedlings are often not found in lawns where lawnmowers do their thing.
Just out of curiosity, what do the undersides of your Mulberry leaves feel like if you touch them? If you look at them close do you see any little hairs? Sometimes the hairs on Mulberry leaves are all over the back of the leaf and sometimes they are only present near the veins and sometimes they aren't present at all.
I subscribe to the ListServe and although I rarely if ever post in favor of reading, I would be ok with posting your photo to see if any of the brain trust knows what this might be for you if you are interested.
I would not say that there are hairs on it....the front is rougher but the back is not what I would call smooth...but it is smoother than the front of the leaf.......Here are some more pics...I am not set up for this.....I did the best I could....shirleyt
also we were away from here for over 10 years and there were no babies on the land....it was not tended all that time and grew lots of other trees.....our food garden area had large pines in it when we came back ....but still just the original two mulberry trees....they were very different......shirleyt
the one of the bud area is not very good
here is a skinned back stem
Oh, I like lace doilies and such! I particularly like lace coverlets over solid bed spreads so that the design shows up but (sigh) our cats would probably barf on them instantaneously.
When I try to photograph plants, I take them outside on days when there is a lot of bright natural light and spread them out on my concrete patio and on my asphalt driveway preferably in shade so as to not lose so many details from direct sun. Those photos tend to turn out best for me. I have a problem photographing in dappled shade or full sun. I shoot on automatic settings 100% of the time so I only get a handful of decent photos for every hundred or so that I take so don't feel bad.
Let's try to get an id on your plant if possible. The undersides of Morus rubra leaves are pretty much always pubescent but when they mature they are even more pronounced and bristly and white. You can not only feel the very distinct hairs by touch but they are visible to the naked eye. The photos of the undersides of the leaves you took look pretty glabrous to me with no evidence of hairs even along the veins. Are you up to trying to take a few more photos? I'll download what ever you can get and send it out to what I refer to as the brain trust. Many of the people on the ListServe are scientists and their knowledge truly is superior in my opinion. Here's hoping somebody has run across this plant you have and can ID it on sight otherwise chances are pretty good they won't go poking around for an ID because they'll figure if it isn't rubra or microphylla it can only be an introduced species or a hybrid. Here's also hoping that my request doesn't get ignored because I don't participate there on a regular basis in favor of hanging out here. It's worth a try even if there are 48 different genre and over 1200 different species in Moraceae. Say, can you tear one of those leaves and share whether it "bleeds" a milky white substance or not?
It does not bleed any anything..... when it gets cooler outside I will take more pics for you....it is over 90 out there now and I just can not take the heat....shirleyt
This message was edited Jun 10, 2006 12:48 PM
Back to Mimosa trees -
When I was a child in Lindenhurst, Long Island New York back in the 1960's, there were two homes (next to each other) that had huge specimine Mimosa trees on their front lawns. I'm guessing they were about 25 feet in height then they spread out about 35 feet. When in bloom they were awesome - all the pink frilly blooms with their (to me) delightful scent. I know the bees and bumblebees loved to collect nectar and pollen from those flowers. Probably Hummingbirds too. Native wildlife loved them. That's one thing some forget when speaking of invasive plants - they effect not only our native plantlife, but they may have an even greater effect on our native wildlife. And if we "exterminated" them now after our native wildlife species got used to the invasive species for food and shelter, what's going to happen to the native wildlife?
Anyway, around Halloween time when we'd go trick-or-treating, those two Mimosa trees would be filled with seed pods, each one filled with a couple of seeds shaking inside with each blow of the wind, making a sort of rasping sound. Now if there was a big gust of wind, the entire tree would "speak" to you in that rasping sound as thousands of seed shook inside their pods. To ten year olds it was frightening and .
Some of those seedpods would drop to the ground around the tree feeding Mourning doves, others would stay on the tree throughout the winter dropping off one by one, again feeing those Mouring doves who knew they had a store of food from that tree. The Gray Squirrels knew it too. I watched them just about every day on my schoolbus as it passed those homes to and from school.
I left Lindenhurst years ago in the 1970's. I don't know if those trees are still standing or if they suffered and died from that fungal disease I heard so much about. If anyone on the boards lives down there - they were on E. John Street, on the North Side - between Greene and Indiana.
Ken
What beautiful memories you have of those two Mimosa trees.
That's one thing some forget when speaking of invasive plants - they effect not only our native plantlife, but they may have an even greater effect on our native wildlife. And if we "exterminated" them now after our native wildlife species got used to the invasive species for food and shelter, what's going to happen to the native wildlife?
I too have some loving memories of the Mimosa, hours spent sitting in it's blessed shade with my Nanny shelling peas or beans while we talked of life.
I read the first part of this thread then saw escambiaguy's picture taken on the way to Memphis. I began to look around in our area and there are definitely places where the Minosa has reproducted in abudance.
We had a small volunteer tree in the middle of two big oaks which I had let grow but after careful considering, DH and I decided to remove it.
I feel the information provided on this forum is very good and allows people to make an informed decision .... but some postings are too forceful and will only defeat the purpose of the forum to inform and educate thus facilitate people in making decisions which are good for the environment.
If people don't visit because they are offened.... the environment won't be helped.
Just my two cents.....
Judy
I don't feel anyone was being too forceful.
A couple of my Bullies will run right into me and when I hit the ground, they will come back to lick my face as if to ask what happen here??!! They never will realize they caused me pain. They are adoraBULL just not sensitive.
When my daughter was a teenager riding in the car with me, she opened her door when we parked, then proceeded to walk into it, later she let the screen door close on me as we carried in groceries, but after I bent over to look at the ham in the oven and she bumped into my behind almost making me go head first into the over, I had to say "enough".
I use these examples hopefully to illustrate, there are different levels of sensitivity. The written word has no voice inflections or smiles to soften them.
Judy
I agree with Judy; the written e-word offers no inflection or nuanced arched eyebrow.
I disagree with Judy, in that there are people reading/posting here who are simply not happy with being challenged about what they want, and will brook no opinion to the contrary. They find it easy to dismiss the science of invasive species as simple contrarianism, or assign it the status of religion (though they may hold their own religious convictions rather tightly and beyond reproach). Enough of that.
Those are the folks who I'd love to have a verbal conversation with, because I know I could find a parallel situation where they would be astounded that anyone could possibly disagree with their position.
This is some of what makes the world go 'round. Everyone can appreciate written tact.
ViburnumValley
You wrote: "I disagree with Judy, in that there are people reading/posting here who are simply not happy with being challenged about what they want, and will brook no opinion to the contrary."
Please do not put words in my mouth..... I was just trying to make a point that I would hate it if people who visit this forum to learn, collect informaiton/viewpoints upon which to base their decisions, didn't return because they found the tactics too strong.
escambiaguy took the time to post why he felt the Minosa was invasive, then he followed up by taking pictures and posting them which were a confirmation of his theory ..... together they were a powerful motivator. In my opinion this type of activity wins friends and influences people. One great step for the environment.
Judy
Hey Judy, I presume your comments were directed toward me so I'll jump in and comment. I agree with you in that the written word has no speech inflections which dramatically impacts meaning and conversationality. The lack of accompanying body language is also a detriment to interpretation. I truly believe people try to be polite, respectful, and considerate but please know that some people are just matter of fact when tough questions are asked and they get focused on answering the questions and not necessarily on how the person who asked them wants them to be answered. I read your comments and saw that bold text and decided to look back through the entire thread. Then I saw your analogy on bullies and took a second read of the entire thread. I see an original poster who is most disturbed by the wave of Mimosas and Privet in his landscape and he posted photos to share his view of these plants with others. The thread veered off course but a lot of good questions were asked.
This forum is open to the public. Were you aware you don't need to be a paying subscriber to post here? Were you aware you don’t even need to be registered to view these threads in their entirety? The Forum is titled Invasive Plants Forum and the last half of what you typed in bold would have been, "and a place to seek help with identifying and eradicating or controlling such plants". I assume you are referring to members who have contacted you privately who are feeling uncomfortable about posting their admiration of invasive plants and their personal experiences on their own properties where they are not finding them to be invasive. Given this forum was created "for thoughtful and respectful discussion of invasive plants (whether native or exotic/alien species); their effect on your garden and the environment, and a place to seek help with identifying and eradicating or controlling such plants", I can certainly understand why some may feel uncomfortable if it is their intent to canonize plants formally identified as invasive. I sent the url to this very thread to two people who I wanted to seriously consider joining so that they could see for themselves there was a sincere desire on behalf of many people to get involved by getting a proper ID so they can manage, control, and eradicate invasive species on their own properties without having to hire professionals. Unfortunately, both individuals I asked to take a peek at this forum had difficulty understanding why there were people posting who were espousing merits of invasive species. Not to single kenrnoto out but since I'm posting in this thread I want you to know that I read his post as a passionate recounting of his childhood memories of a tree that he evidently loves unconditionally and doesn't want eradicated from any landscape. I can appreciate that. I can also see the flipside of the coin in which a natural lands management professional might not want to come in to this forum to share his expertise when these species are being glorified even if he can register and post without paying to subscribe. People who deal with invasive species take their jobs very seriously and they are under attack by the general public on a regular basis for removing plants to which people have an emotional attachment. When a member unknowingly glorifies a plant already identified as being invasive and in need of being controlled within an ecosystem in which it has gotten a foothold, people get a little nervous about sharing any of their skillset because they're concerned about being viewed as the Evil Kabal who is entering the scene as the new comer to do away with Grandma's Privet. The other deal is that it has been my experience based on limited communications with these types of individuals that they are matter of fact types of people who might not know how to take the time to add the spoonful of sugar to the medicine to make their posts more palatable which means their contributions might be viewed as offensive by some although the intent would have been to inform and educate. Here is an excerpt from an e-mail I received from a person who was looking at this forum to see if he would be deemed a welcomed contributor or not, "Emotions and the degree of knowledge will be the driving thoughts behind most of the opinions and no one likes to be wrong. As I find with most heated discussion about the environment (climate change, pollution, fire ecology, wetlands…), people rarely think about the health of the environment, but more along the lines of egos (being right) and economic considerations (the big driver)." He did not join us here at DG.
I've got invasive species present on my property in my wetlands that I can't tackle because I am overwhelmed and I do not have the skill set to address them. I'd like to see more members who are in a position to inform and educate me by sharing their hands on wetlands experience and if we had natural lands management professionals contributing on a regular basis who got hooked on us and our sense of community, I can’t help but think there might be some wetlands help on the way out there for me and others like me.
Here’s my 02¢- Personally I feel that some posts in this forum have been the equivalent of someone innocently posting a photo of a housecat with a Bluebird hanging out of its mouth over in the Gardening For Wildlife Forum under a subject title of “It’s just the chain of life”. Insensitive, not necessarily because this individual may not know that people who garden for wildlife don't exactly view cats as part of the chain of life in the US. Would that post be perceived as insensitive by some, probably. I’d like to see the eradication of as many of these invasives as is possible from public land as well as from my property and I know there are many others out there struggling to get rid of invasives too. When I post here, I do so to share my experiences with invasive species with others trying to identify and remove them.
Judy:
No force-feeding implied or intended. The sentiments posted by me were all mine. I appreciate your intention to speak softly.
We are all adults here, allegedly. I agree that:
by taking pictures and posting them which were a confirmation of his theory ..... together they were a powerful motivator.
I still hold that won't matter to a certain segment of the population who brook no opposition to them doing only what they choose. I hold that these same people may agree that humans should no longer use lead-based paint; throw trash out their automobile windows; or empty used motor oil into the stormwater catchbasin system. But they'll still defend till their last breath the use of known and proven invasive plants in their gardens. I see no tangible difference in the behaviors.
I won't belabor my or your points further. I'm sorry if it seemed I alleged your statements differently than you meant them. I just hope this forum generates thoughtful discussion and considered behavior in gardening, where we make choices that affect generations to come.
Equilibrium - your long pontification just left me shaking my head, I am unable or unwilling to attempt to understand the point you're trying to make. To be honest I stopped midway in reading it.
This message was edited Jun 23, 2006 10:34 PM
A couple of my Bullies will run right into me and when I hit the ground, they will come back to lick my face as if to ask what happen here??!! They never will realize they caused me pain. They are adoraBULL just not sensitive.
When my daughter was a teenager riding in the car with me, she opened her door when we parked, then proceeded to walk into it, later she let the screen door close on me as we carried in groceries, but after I bent over to look at the ham in the oven and she bumped into my behind almost making me go head first into the over, I had to say "enough".
I use these examples hopefully to illustrate, there are different levels of sensitivity. The written word has no voice inflections or smiles to soften them.
Judy
I'll throw my $0.02 worth in as to the level of sensitivity that would make this forum more welcoming to all.
I'll use a few quotes from above to try to make my point. In a nutshell, statements such as the following can be applied equally to those on both sides of this (and most any other) debate:
"I still hold that won't matter to a certain segment of the population who brook no opposition to them doing only what they choose."
and a quote-of-a-quote:
"Emotions and the degree of knowledge will be the driving thoughts behind most of the opinions and no one likes to be wrong. As I find with most heated discussion about the environment (climate change, pollution, fire ecology, wetlands…), people rarely think about the health of the environment, but more along the lines of egos (being right) and economic considerations (the big driver)."
I believe there are some absolute, fundamental truths that exist in this universe, but I also believe that a lot of what we argue about with one another is opinion, not irrefutable truths. When we come to truly believe that those who hold opposing views are not necessarily wrong, then we can stop assuming they hold to their opinions because they are malevolent, egotistical, naive, and/or ignorant.
And if that happens, then conversations can be rational, civil, thoughtful and persuasive. But as long as the underlying assumption is anyone who disagrees with our position is automatically and unequivocally wrong (and therefore is acting out of spite or stupidity), respectful discussion can't take place.
ViburnumValley - You wrote "Quoting me: by taking pictures and posting them which were a confirmation of his theory ..... together they were a powerful motivator.
Then commented: I still hold that won't matter to a certain segment of the population who brook no opposition to them doing only what they choose"
I put forth the theory that this "certain segment of the population" doesn't really matter because you can't make any headway with them period, why argue. It's the other people who read these threads that truly matter and to spread the "word" about invasives, the tone needs to be knowledgeable, gentle and provoke thought on the part of the person reading the threads,,,, escambiaguy did just that.
Judy
Terry,
Sorry I posted while you were doing so. I certainly understood and agreed with your posting.
Judy
This message was edited Jun 23, 2006 10:35 PM
We got kicked over here from indigenous plants because our views were "harsh" and "offensive"..and now we get kicked around here because our views are "harsh" and "offensive".
If you love invasive plants....then don't read this forum! If you want to learn about invasive plants...then DO read this forum.
If you don't want to read anything harsh and offensive about purple loosestrife, or burning bush, or mimosas, or buckthorn, or emerald ash borer, or garlic mustard, or longhorn beetle, or chestnut blight, or sudden oak death, or phragmites, or canary reed grass, or Japanese Honeysuckle, or Miscanthus, or water hyacinth, or water lettuce, or sweet yellow clover, or japanese stilt grass, or rosa multiflora, or teasel, and on and on....this might not be a forum you'd appreciate reading. ;-)
West Nile Virus is an illness caused by a non-native and invasive mosquito, which were brought to us from Egypt in water in used tires. Over 750 people in Illinois were sickened or killed by it last year. To say invasive species have no impact is at best a specious argument, and at worst, willful ignorance.
The heartworm that is afflicting dogs and cats in this country is another invasive non-native species, brought to us by mosquitos from who knows where. ;-)
The adverse economic impact invasive species have on the US economy is in the $150 BILLION plus range every year. And those are our tax dollars, folks...but I have money to burn, so who cares, right? ;-)
I agree with VV and Equil.
I wouldn't dream of going into a forum all about roses and posting all about how I despise roses.
there are several people who post to this forum who are quite accomplished in the field of invasive species. Meaning they have degrees, and/or field experience, publication, etc. Not a single person here was being harsh. They were being factual, without using cutesy little smiley faces. ;-)
This message was edited Jun 24, 2006 12:38 AM
The heartworm is actually a filarial nematode (Dirofilaria immitis) and over 50 species of mosquito are capable of supporting it. I'm pretty sure Dirofilaria immitis is an introduced species and I think it might have come from Malaysia?
I, for one, like reading this forum and learning. It's like being in a classroom where the professor does no sugar coating what so ever. I don't believe a person can seriously expect to come into an invasive forum and hear all things invasive sugar coated. If you read posts written by Equil or VV thru out this whole site, you understand how they write and what they mean. They don't write leaving you to figure things out on your own, you never have to read between the lines. And they don't argue. They don't slam. They aren't harsh. They put forth information that they have learned.
I agree with Dode in that if you are one who likes invasives and doesn't care about the state of monies spent out annually or how to control any type of invasive, then this isn't the forum for you. If, instead, you want everybody to tell you that maybe such and such is an invasive, but hey, if you love the plant then go ahead and keep it, you've come to the wrong forum. What's one little plant, right? FWIW, there is a lady over on trading that is looking for purple loosestrife seeds. She wants to plant them around her pond. If she came here first and inquired about purple loosestrife, she might just learn something. After all, gardening is about learning, right?
I have read this whole thread in it's entirety. I read it again, after Judy came on. The only time I became confused was when Judy came on and slammed Equil and VV for their writing style. IMHO, no one was harsh, except Judy. No one on this thread was arguing with anyone, until Judy came on and slammed the writing style of 2 paying members.
This is my OPINION. It isn't some absolute, fundamental truths that exist in this universe.
This message was edited Jun 24, 2006 1:38 PM
OK- lets let this go, now.
From a fresh perspective, I see no one being harsh.
I know some hurt feelings come from people's experience with others in the past...then those people feel like someone is saying something to them specifically (reading between the lines). We could go round and round like that. It doesn't help anyone, and it doesn't solve anything.
If you are going to write a post- then write it. No sarcasm, no between the lines comments- just make your post without agenda.
If you are going to read the post- then read it without judgement to what the person "is really trying to say". Not based on past experience. Just face value.
What a waste of time to argue. What a waste to let any post become bickering, or choosing sides, or all manner of other yuck.
This is a valuable forum. We're glad to have it. We'd like to keep it
Trish
Thank you Trish.
Trish, I agree. Thank you.
This IS a valuable forum...especially when people post facts and leaned opinions....but then, God forbid people post facts or learned opinions. Or know inconvenient truths. Thats considered "Harsh." How about renaming the forum "Hooray for Invasive Plants" Just to make sure we don't step on anyone's toes. Ever. Whatever.
I'm sick of spending hours and hours and hours ripping peoples poor landscaping choices out of otherwise pristene natural areas as a volunteer. I'd rather just burn, plant and seed. I'm ESPECIALLY sick of ripping other people's poor landscaping choices out of my shade garden, etc.
I didn't ask to have their plants in my yard, I don't want their plants in my yard. I don't put my plants in their yard. My right to plant whatever the heck I want ends at my property line.
This message was edited Jun 25, 2006 3:20 AM
This message was edited Jun 25, 2006 3:34 AM
"My right to plant whatever the heck I want ends at my property line" You are so right.... now as I see it, the objective is to gently convinence these people that there are "good plants and there are plants which become invasive". If they realize invasive plants means move work for them and their neighbors, they will be less inclined to plant them.
Bless escambiaguy in that I have paid attention to his message and we removed a medium size Minosa, it had not bloomed, dont' know why maybe luck.
Judy
This message was edited Jun 26, 2006 7:29 AM
Judy, sometimes when you do speak what you feel is gently, the person who does not want to hear that their beloved plant is an invasive, will take it the wrong way. That's what I feel the whole problem is. We're just not hearing what or even how the other person is saying it. Some people feel that they can keep these plants contained. What they don't realize is that the wind blows, birds eat and poop, etc. Also they don't understand that when they sell their house and a non gardener moves in, or just someone who isn't diligent like they think they were, who knows how much damage it can cause. I don't think anybody wants to offend or knock anybody on the head to get them to understand that invasives go far beyond ones own property line. A person must be receptive to it. Just my thoughts on it anyway.
My, My My. My head is spinning. If only generations past could have had the benefit of our current science and extreme knowledge, perhaps kudzu would not have been used to stop erosion and my grandmother would not have planted a mimosa near her screen porch for shade and enjoyment of the bloom (or a wisteria outside her bedroom window for the fragrance - which, by the way, eventually made its way INTO her bedroom window along with a lizard. As a child, I belived the lizard just hung on while the plant grew and enjoyed the ride!)
I fight privet daily and just cut down a mimosa that my husband's grandparents planted. When I do plant an "invasive" variety of plant for sentimental or aesthetic reasons, I plant it in a pot close to the house where I can control and monitor it closely.
Let us hope that future generations are a little more forgiving of our mistakes and foibles. Sometimes sentiment can outweigh good sense and, to me, that's not always a bad thing. If I look at everything around me through cold, hard facts, I might miss the beauty of the "mistakes" life has thrown in just for the challenge or adventure of it.
I have two mulberries growing under a redbud tree. Each has different shaped leaves. Quite honestly, I'm leaving them both alone because they give variety to the vast sea of pine trees that we Southerners are surrounded by these days.
By the way, last week coffee was mighty bad for your health, today it seems "they" have decided its a good thing.
And I apologize now in case if my simple-minded outlook on life offends anyone.
I truly do appreciate the education I am receiving in these forums.
I pretty much remove as many of the plants that I can get my hands on that are colonizing. You do the best you can figuring out what you have and then take it from there. Prioritizing is tough for me and I've left several that by all rights should go. I've been planting replacement species up in tight by them so that the sting of removing them will be somewhat reduced. It's just hard destroying them when they seem to fit so well into the yard and I, like most people, hate leaving holes in the landscape.
I've disturbed a tremendous amount of ground removing basic European Buckthorn, Asian Honeysuckles, and Garlic Mustard over here so I've been afforded the luxury of seeing first hand what is trying to "settle" in. It can be a tough bone to swallow when I can drive out of my driveway and see the parent plants of the spontaneous seedlings appearing over here prominently displayed in the front yards of my neighbors' homes as specimens. The Siberian Red twig Dogwood is really beginning to become a problem over here but the Japanese Barberry is definitely a force with which to contend for me too as of this year. I plug along and remove as much as I can.
I haven't quite reached the point where I've potted any known invasive species in pots to be able to control and monitor them but maybe some day.
I had to sort of giggle when you mentioned coffee. My Dad was just mentioning that to me. Seems as if it wasn't that long ago that he was mentioning that butter wasn't bad for him any more.