My Experience With Japanese Hops

On June 21st, 2021, I volunteered with the James River Association to help combat Japanese Hops (Humulus japonicus). There were five of us and it only took about an hour and a half and some afternoon sweat to get rid of the invasive plant in a small area on Chapel Island. Unfortunately, these vines can grow so fast that they will likely cover the whole area again within a month. The volunteer team leader noted that a team comes out to Chapel Island at least once a month to try and keep the invasive plant from expanding. One can easily recognize the Japanese Hops in the area by their fuzzy/prickly vines that wrap around and suppress native plants. Additionally, they are likely to be found near the water within the various park sites.