Air potato taking the wind out of local ecology

The air potato, an invasive exotic plant, is attacking Highlands County's native plants and animals, and a few local super heroes are needed to fight it off.

Highlands County resident Clara Wyatt said that her mother has it growing on her backyard fence.

At first she liked the way it looked and didn't mind having it around, but now it has just become a nuisance.

"I mow her grass, and I will pull them up. You pull them up, and they come right back," she said.

Like Wyatt, county residents may have seen this vine that produces little warty potato-like tubers, not knowing what it is.

But those who know about it better be warned, said Corine Burgess, natural resource specialist at the Highlands Soil and Water Conservation District.

The air potato has become a serious threat to the county's native species, she said.

"It is an invasive exotic plant that is growing out of control pretty much everywhere you look," Burgess added.

"Unless someone puts a stop to it, it will take over every piece of vegetation in its path. It is like a blanket. The plants underneath it can only survive so long without sunlight."

Burgess wants to start a neighborhood group with residents in the county to fight invasive species, with emphasis on the air potato.

The group will map out areas in the neighborhood with air potato plants and report them.

Burgess will get permission for volunteers to pull up the vines and pick up the air potatoes.

"All it will really cost you is some of your time and labor," she added.

The air potato has no natural enemies, and nothing can eat it.

This poses a threat to animals because it is killing off the plants they eat, Burgess said.

"It is a food-chain thing," Burgess said. "If there is nothing at the bottom of the food chain, everything will eventually be affected."

According to the University of Florida Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants' Web site, the plants are very toxic and should not be consumed.

They can grow up to roughly 8 inches a day.

Many Florida counties are recruiting volunteers to help protect and conserve Florida's natural areas through the removal of air potato.

During the air potato roundup, citizens, organizations and local businesses get together to collect vines and bulbils.

"I think the air potato roundup is an excellent idea and provides a nice tool for a teaching people about invasive species in general," said Bill Overholt, chairman of the air potato task force at the Indian River Research and Education Center in Fort Pierce, a branch of the University of Florida.

The air potato task force put together and repaired a management plan, which can be accessed on the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council Web site under Invasive Species Management Plans.

It has background and biological information on the plant, answers questions about where it grows, where it came from, what it looks like and how to manage it.

"We hope to have a biological control another year down the road," Overholt added.

The Highlands Soil and Water Conservation District will have the third of four free workshops on Florida's invasive and exotic plants and animals from 1-3 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20 at the Bert J. Harris Jr. Agriculture Center. The last workshop will be Dec. 18 at 1 p.m.

The workshops are leading up to air potato exchange day on Jan. 9.

Every person who brings in one bag or more of air potatoes will receive one free native plant.

Those who have questions about the workshops or are interested in starting or joining a neighborhood group to fight invasive exotic species should call 402-6545 or e-mail cburgess@hcbcc.org.