Sexual reproduction in the invasive species Fallopia japonica (Polygonaceae)

Fallopia japonica (Polygonaceae) is an invasive perennial plant, well known in North America for its ability to spread aggressively via vegetative reproduction. The contribution of sexual reproduction to the distribution of this species is not well documented, and as a result, F. japonica is treated solely as a clonal species. To investigate the role of sexual reproduction in this species, germination experiments were conducted using seed collected from 29 parents from field sites in Massachusetts and from four greenhouse-grown cultivars. Results showed that wild F. japonica produce large quantities of seed that typically have high germinability. This seed is viable whether sown immediately after collection or subjected to various conditions during the winter season and germinated the following spring. Cultivars of F. japonica also produce viable seed and can thus contribute to the invasiveness of this species. In addition, wild F. japonica seedlings were observed at several field sites, with several of these seedlings surviving the winter and resprouting the following spring. That sexual reproduction and seedling survival occur in the wild has strong implications for the development of management strategies for this species.