Plant identification and what to do about a mole or vole. - Ask Extension
We back up to a wetland area, and we have some different shrubbery growing on the edge about which I am curious. The first two photos are of a plant...
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Plant identification and what to do about a mole or vole. #410289
Asked June 27, 2017, 6:44 PM EDT
We back up to a wetland area, and we have some different shrubbery growing on the edge about which I am curious. The first two photos are of a plant of which the fruit when fully ripe looks like a wild blueberry. The third photo is of another plant that surrounds the "blueberry" bush.
Third, we have what appears to be a lot of mole tunnels. Is there an environmentally safe deterrent/removal method? Would love to have an owl visit us.
Thank you,
Christy
St. Mary's County Maryland
Expert Response
The shrub with the white, spike-like flowers looks like a pepper bush (Clethra alnifolia). https://www.marylandbiodiversity.com/viewSpecies.php?species=1595
In the first two photos, we can't quite tell if the blue berries are emerging from a shrub with the rounded leaves, or if they are coming from a vine. There is also a stem with thorns. It looks like there are several different plants mixed in close together. Would you be able to send us photos that show more clearly the specific plant that has the berries? If you could pull out a piece that shows how the berries are attached to the stem (and the type of leaves attached to the stem), that would help us with identification. We look for arrangement of leaves along the stem (alternate or opposite), leaf shape, and stem characteristics.
ckc
In the first two photos, we can't quite tell if the blue berries are emerging from a shrub with the rounded leaves, or if they are coming from a vine. There is also a stem with thorns. It looks like there are several different plants mixed in close together. Would you be able to send us photos that show more clearly the specific plant that has the berries? If you could pull out a piece that shows how the berries are attached to the stem (and the type of leaves attached to the stem), that would help us with identification. We look for arrangement of leaves along the stem (alternate or opposite), leaf shape, and stem characteristics.
ckc
Adding more photos.
I added two more photos. Following the link that you posted for the pepperbush, I decided to check huckleberries . Blue huckleberries looks like a strong contender. Still will await your opinion. Huckleberries were my first thought , because I the plants themselves Did not resemble the highbush or lowbush blueberries that I have picked before.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Nice catch. We agree with you that this looks like a blue huckleberry.
As for the moles, take a look at our publication Nuisance Wildlife at this link:
https://extension.umd.edu/sites/extension.umd.edu/files/_images/programs/hgic/Publications/HG90%20De...
cm
As for the moles, take a look at our publication Nuisance Wildlife at this link:
https://extension.umd.edu/sites/extension.umd.edu/files/_images/programs/hgic/Publications/HG90%20De...
cm
