What is wavyleaf basketgrass?<\/p>\n
Wavyleaf basketgrass<\/a> is an invasive perennial grass native to Europe and Asia. It\u2019s found in Maryland, Virginia and in eight counties in Pennsylvania.\u00a0<\/p>\n Wavyleaf basketgrass thrives in shaded forests. It grows quickly, forming dense mats that suppress native vegetation. The basketgrass produces seeds with sticky awns, or stiff bristles, that readily attach to boots, clothing, pet fur, wildlife, and even rubber surfaces. As people and animals move through infested areas, the seeds hitch a ride to new locations.<\/p>\n That\u2019s how Brian Daggs, invasive plant ecologist with the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and the Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program,<\/a> believes it made its way to Bear Run Nature Reserve,<\/a> a 5080-acre reserve managed by the conservancy.<\/p>\n \u201cLikely someone from somewhere else where there is an established population came and visited Bear Run Nature Reserve, unknowingly having some of those seeds stuck to maybe their boots, or they might have brought their dog with them, and it was stuck in their dog\u2019s fur,\u201d he said. \u201cAs they walk the trails here at Bear Run, those seeds fell off and took root here along the trails.\u201d<\/p>\n Daggs learned of the plant growing in Bear Run from a report on iNaturalist<\/a>, a platform where people can report what they find in nature.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhen we saw the report, we jumped on it immediately and started doing herbicide applications to really prevent this plant from establishing,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Wavyleaf basketgrass was first recorded at Bear Run two years ago. Photo: Kathy Knauer \/ The Allegheny Front <\/p>\n Bear Run Nature Reserve, near Fallingwater, is a property of the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. Photo: Kathy Knauer \/ The Allegheny Front. <\/p>\n A trail in Bear Run Nature Reserve. Photo: Kathy Knauer \/ The Allegheny Front <\/p>\n In mid-July, Daggs and staff and volunteers from the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, as well as staff from the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry were conducting an early detection search for the wavyleaf basketgrass along the trails at Bear Run.<\/p>\n \u201cIt presents us with an opportunity to prevent it from becoming that super-established, really impactful infestation and remove it while it\u2019s still just a young pioneer population,\u201d Daggs said.\u00a0<\/p>\n They were tagging locations where they found basketgrass and pulling it up.<\/p>\n \u201cIt creates lots of lateral or horizontal runners, so when you pull it up, you\u2019ve got to make sure you\u2019re getting all of these lateral stems that are climbing along the surface of the ground,\u201d he said. \u201cDo not throw them back on the ground. They\u2019re likely to reroute and still live. Bag it and throw it away.\u201d<\/p>\n \t\t
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They hope to prevent it from spreading throughout the reserve and into the forests of the Laurel Highlands.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cA lot of invasive plants, unfortunately, have already spread wide and far across the state, so we are trying to focus on keeping those out of areas where they are not or treating them where we have other resources to protect,\u201d said\u00a0Andrew Rohrbaugh, chief of the Forest Health Section at the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry. \u201cWavyleaf is one where it\u2019s not spread too far yet across any of the state, so we\u2019re really trying to help our partners with Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and the Department of Agriculture.\u201d<\/p>\n How to identify it Learning to recognize wavyleaf basketgrass is the first step in preventing its spread.<\/p>\n
How you can help stop the spread<\/p>\n According to Daggs, preventing the spread of wavyleaf basketgrass starts with a few simple actions:<\/p>\n
Join the Basketgrass Bonanza this August<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Basketgrass_Map.png\")
Occurrences of Wavyleaf basketgrass have been documented in eight counties in Pennsylvania, according to data from iMapInvasives. Courtesy of the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy.<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Basketgrass-in-rocks_BearRun-scaled.jpeg\" "\\"Basketgrass")
<\/a> <\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Bear-Run-Sign_BearRun-scaled.jpeg\" "\\"Bear")
<\/a> <\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Trail_BearRun-scaled.jpeg\" "\\"Trail_BearRun\\"")
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\n![\"Close](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Basketgrass_BearRun.jpeg\")
Wavyleaf basketgrass pulled up from Bear Run Nature Reserve. Photo: Kathy Knauer \/ The Allegheny Front<\/p>\n
\nLeaves
Flat, dark green leaves are about 1.2 cm (0.5 in) wide and 4-10 cm (1.5-4 in) long with rippling waves across the blades and elongated, pointed tips. The leaf sheaths and stems are noticeably hairy.
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\nSize
Wavyleaf basketgrass has short, low-creeping stems that typically grow between 8 and 11 inches tall, although they can reach up to 18 inches. The plant spreads to form dense, carpet-like patches.
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\nStems
The stems are thin and covered with white hairs. They grow close to the ground and readily root at the nodes, where the leaves emerge, allowing the plant to spread quickly.
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\nFlowers
Feathery white flower spikes bloom from late summer through fall, usually between late August and November.
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\nSeeds
The seeds develop in clusters of three to five pairs. Each seed has a long, stiff bristle called an awn that produces a sticky substance, allowing the seeds to cling easily to people, animals, and passing objects, including smooth surfaces like rubber boots.
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\nClean your boots and gear. Remove any seeds or sticky residue after a hike to avoid transporting the plant to new locations. Daggs recommends doing this every time you go hiking.
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\nReport sightings. If you discover wavyleaf basketgrass, report it through Pennsylvania\u2019s iMapInvasives<\/a> platform or contact the Bureau of Forestry or the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.
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\nPull and bag: After you report it to iMapInvasives, pull it from the ground, making sure you get all lateral stems, then bag it and throw it away. Don\u2019t leave it on the forest floor where it can regrow, or compost it. For best results, leave the bag out in the sun for a few days before throwing it in the garbage.
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\nSpread awareness. Educating others about the invasive species helps prevent accidental spread and encourages early detection.\u00a0
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