Control of multiflora rose in woods

[Hoytvectrix]

I'm curious if anyone here has had much success with controlling multiflora rose. We have several wooded hillsides that are nearly completely covered in multiflora rose (and other thorny thicket plants). From what I've read, it can be difficult to control because of a prolific weed seed bank.
Penn State has an extension bulletin on its growth and control (https://extension.psu.edu/multiflora-rose). Seems like glyphosate and/or triclopyr are the way to go for foliar treatments. I know Grant Woods has used prescribed fire to control it on his place in southern MO.

Are there any success stories out there? Or is this something that we should just accept and live with. Is it even worth trying to remove?

 

[Bill]

If the deer don’t mind it why bother? I sometimes think we like to find problems to fix just because. I used to spray mine but gave up because the deer eat it and go right through it.

No official reports in our county but I have seen evidence of rose rosette disease on the MFR. I suppose nature will take care of the problem in 15 to 20 years.

 

[loshonhora]

i leave it alone except along our timber roads and field edges. every spring when they first leaf out i take a ride on the atv with a 14 gallon sprayer on the back and the hand spray wand. i use a triclopyr/gly mix. just gly only sets it back for awhile. maybe you could try to open things up in spots with a backpack sprayer.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

Triclopyr will knock it dick in the dirt dead. I’d much rather have it than autumn olive. Much easier to kill.

 

[tynimiller]

MFR is of no worry to me honestly. Great brows, thickens up the understory and doesn't rape habitat like Bush Honeysuckle or AO does. If I could snap my fingers and all my BH become MFR thickets tomorrow DONE!

 

[Hoytvectrix]

These responses are exactly why I posted the question. We have been going back and forth on whether or not to control it, but as Bill said, it doesn't seem that the deer mind. I think we will just let it be for now.

 

[goatman]

Keeps most trespassers out. But if you want to kill some it ain't hard. 2-4d will work on it. Wondering about mother nature wiping it out. Been around here over 60 years. It seems to be recovering from a blight like disease several years back. It does come in third behind AO and bush honeysuckle.

 

[Telemark]

I like it. Deer bed near it at my uncle's place. And you can make all kinds of stuff rom the hips.

 

[j-bird]

I have it mostly in areas where it can get some sun. I don't have a huge issue with it. I would keep it in check and maybe thin it if it's taking over as it can keep other more desirable plants from growing. I like cutting it back almost to the stump as the new growth will get browsed by deer. I will typically use loopers or my clearing saw and cut off the larger branches and pile those up and then leave the "stump" for it to re-grow....or you can try to kill it off if you wish. There are other worse plants out there to have....but again...everything in moderation.

 

[Chainsaw]

MFR is unacceptable here. Other than Prickly Ash it is about the worst plant to have on this property. MFR is browsed here on occasion but that doesn't make up for the space it takes up and basically wastes. We have way too much Buckthorn but at least I can walk under it.

 

[bjseiler]

I got EQIP money from NRCS a few years to help eradicate MFR and some autumn olive. If you are going to get rid of it, might be something to look into.

 

[Redonthehead]

MFR will be one of the first to leaf out in the spring so you can hit it with herbicide without killing off your desirable plants in the woods.

 

[Codie Gleason]

I would get some sort of management practices going to help keep it in check. It may not seem like much of a problem now but lack of control can result in some bigger issues in later years. Seeds can stay viable in the seed bank for over ten years and a single plant can produce hundreds of thousands of seeds each year.

I've had great success doing a foliar applications using a 3% glyphosate solution after about 75% of the canopy has leafed out. In Virginia, this is around the beginning of April. I've heard anecdotally that the use of prescribed fire during this same time, or slightly earlier, helps to top-kill rose. A slow backing fire with a long residence time would be best. You would likely need to pair this with an herbicide treatment for a more successful control.