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Chameleon plant #413908

Asked July 13, 2017, 10:42 AM EDT

How do you get rid of chameleon plant? What are the soft ( nodules) sacks that I found attached to the roots of this plant when I dug them up

Howard County Maryland

Expert Response

We have not seen a chameleon plant that produce tubers.  Please send us photos of the the foliage, any flowers, and the roots so we can see what you may be dealing with.  This plant is very difficult to eradicate.
mh
As I dug up the chameleon plant these sacks looked like turtle eggs but there were all different sizes and they looked like they were attached to the plant root. When I took these pictures I saw that the sacks were actually wrapped around the roots, not attached. Please tell me what are these THINGS. Also that yellowish thing in the middle was not there yesterday when I put them in the bag. Thank you!
The Question Asker Replied July 13, 2017, 2:34 PM EDT
The "tubers" you found are unrelated to the houttuynia (Chamelon plant). They are a fungus like a mushroom, as it forms in the soil.  The particular fungus is a stinkhorn fungus, a very weird-looking fungus. Like typical fungi, it lives on organic material and helps break it down, often found in mulch beds. Not a problem. Does not hurt anything and is natural part of decomposition.

Chameleon plant is a horrible invasive weed and should not be sold, but it is.  Here is information about irradicating it: This is houttuynia, botanical name houttuynia cordata. This is a horrible non-native invasive plant that spreads by its rhizomes (roots). Kill it as fast as possible. We get many requests for help to get rid of this plant--which is still being sold by the nursery industry.


Usually, it is sold in a variegated version known as 'Chameleon Plant.' But, after a few years, it reverts to its original color. Either way, it rapidly becomes obnoxious and nearly impossible to get rid of.
Due to its aggressive nature it is extremely difficult to eliminate. If you have no other plants in the garden bed, you can try hitting it with glyphosate , a nonselective systemic herbicide (that kills the roots) and then hand dig the plants that the chemical does not kill. Glyphosate is found in products such as Roundup and will kill all types of plant material, so you must be very careful to not apply it to the lawn or other desirable plants. It will probably take several applications to have any noticeable effect on the Houttuynia. When you have killed off some the plants then dig the remaining plants. This plant spreads by rhizomes. You must be sure to dig up all of these underground horizontal stems or they will sprout new growth. You will then need to monitor the area for new growth and spray or dig as it appears. It will probably take more than a year to rid the area of the Houttuynia . Do not replant the area until you are sure all of the Houttuynia is gone. Consider this a military campaign, not a single battle.


If the Houttuynia is mixed in a bed with other plants, it is riskier to use chemicals because you may kill the desirable plants. You have a few options. You can hand dig the Houttuynia. Again it will take some time to get all of the plants and their rhizomes. You could try painting the glyphosate on the Houttuynia with a small foam paint brush. Or spray, but use a shield of cardboard or plastic to keep spray off desirable plants. By doing this you would be less likely to apply the chemical on the desired plants. Then hand dig any Houttuynia that is not killed by the chemical. A last option is to remove the desirable plants to another bed and use the chemical and mechanical method described in the above paragraph. If you decide to do the last option, be very careful not to move any of the Houttuynia rhizomes to the new bed. You may want to wash or shake almost all the soil off the plant roots to be sure no houttuynia is entangled. These rhizomes could very easily be mixed with the desirable plant roots.
Here are links to a couple of sites that discuss Houttuynia removal.
http://www.wildflower.org/expert/show.php?id=2011 
http://www.issg.org/database/species/ecology.asp?si=854&fr=1&sts 

ECN
Thank you for your prompt response to my question. I am only 5 months into my war on the chameleon invasion and it was initially a gift from a friend. Some friend huh. One more question. Should I put the chameleon plants in the garbage or burn them?    Thanks again!
The Question Asker Replied July 14, 2017, 10:57 AM EDT
Put them in a trash bag and into the garbage. If you set the bag out in the sun for awhile, that will "cook" the rhizomes and really take care of them before you put them in the trash.

ckc

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