One of the biggest problems in cleaning up Linwood Cemetery is the overgrown invasive plants. These plants obscure graves and inhibit access to the historic monuments of the cemetery. Large bushes and dense vegetation create hiding places for potential criminal activities.
In addition to the visual impact, graves are damaged by the aggressive growth of roots beneath the surface. Powerful roots can eventually crack memorial stones and displace concrete slabs covering burials.
One of the most invasive plants growing at Linwood is the Mimosa tree (Albizia julibrissin). At one time, these trees were considered decorative and were found in many cemeteries. We now know that Mimosa will take over our memorial parks and become a maintenance problem.
Many attempts have been made to cut down these pesky Mimosa trees, but they always come back. Simply chopping down the stems and branches will only encourage the root to sprout again in another place. The Mimosa reacts to damage by growing beneath soil where roots sprout up again nearby. The root continues to live and grow stronger under the ground, often damaging graves as it continues to grow.
Mimosa eradication requires getting herbicide into the plant fibers where it can kill the entire root. The trunk must be cut in several places and poison sprayed into the cut. The tree will absorb the herbicide into the root system and the entire plant will die.
Spraying large areas of vegetation wastes expensive herbicide and kills plants that make the cemetery attractive. Don't spray herbicide on stones or memorials. The chemicals in the spray can cause the stones to erode more quickly, and memorials may become unreadable. Spray only the plants that you want removed.
Herbicides like glyphosate and triclopyr are effective on Mimosa.