Station R

Knotweed Jungle (A7.5)

If you walk through this dense stand of Japanese knotweed on a hot summer day, you might think, "It's so cool and shady in here!  Is this what it feels like to be an insect surrounded by tall grass in a field?  It's like a green tunnel!"  You might be curious and wonder how the knotweed managed to take hold and what other plants might grow in this jungle.

A jungle is described as an impenetrable growth of tall trees and thick woody vegetation. Although Japanese knotweed is herbaceous and its stems and leaves die every year, it has a persistent and extensive root system that produces taller and additional stems each successive year.  If not for regular trail maintenance, this path would disappear quickly during the growing season.

About 90 feet from the entry point, the path splits in two. The path on the left continues northwestward for about 200 feet to end at the tree-of-heaven and puddingstone by the vernal pond.  The spur to the right continues northeastward for about 100 feet before intersecting the Marsh Trail at about M9.3.