I have some fairly large areas of chameleon plants that I now realize are potentially taking over my garden beds and lawn. I'm 77, too old to effectively dig up the rhizomes, so I reluctantly sprayed the plants with RoundUp. The leaves turned brown and now I'm unsure what to do next. Should I cover the area I sprayed with black plastic and wait till next spring to see if anything pops up or should I just watch and spot spray any chameleon plants that re-appear with more RoundUp? I don't know if RoundUp is able to kill the rhizomes. Please advise and forgive me for using RoundUp.

Hello Robert,

Is it possible for you to send me a picture of the areas?

I hope I correctly sent photos below.  In one photo, I'd tried to pull out plants before using Round Up.  In the other area, I weedwacked the dead tops of plants after spraying.  Some ivy and other lower ground cover plants survived because they were beneath the leaves of the Chameleons.  I sprayed both areas in photos a second time.  I hope this helps you get a better picture of what I'm dealing with.  Thanks, Bob 

I hope I correctly sent photos below. In one photo, I'd tried to pull out plants before using Round Up. In the other area, I weedwacked the dead tops of plants after spraying. Some ivy and other lower ground cover plants survived because they were beneath the leaves of the Chameleons. I sprayed both areas in photos a second time. I hope this helps you get a better picture of what I'm dealing with. Thanks, Bob

Hi Bob,

Great job on the photos!

Let's talk about the big picture. It appears you have two large beds,  one with ivy  and the other with a variety of perennials, hosta, Solomon's seal.  What else is in the beds that you want to save?  What ground cover other than the ivy? And do you want to save the ivy? Do you plant any annuals?  Do you have any grassy areas that you mow that have been invaded by chameleon?  I'm trying to consider what products might be best. It might vary according to what you want to do long range and how to treat chameleon in beds as opposed to grassy areas.

Hi Bob,

You are not alone in this endeavor. Due to its aggressive nature, chameleon is extremely difficult to eliminate, and sometimes appears 20 year later!

Still, it's worth a try. Consider it a 1-2 year treatment plan and you may lose your perennials.

Among the chemicals, Glyphosate is the best option to remove chameleon plants. It is safe to use when used properly. There are many types. It sounds like you have some already.

Not sure when you have sprayed recently. For now, rake up any dead debris. Use gloves. Be sure to remove the debris from your property. Keep an eye out for any new growth and if you see any, spray again in late September or October.

In early spring, spray twice again about 4 weeks apart. Then let's reevaluate.

Treatment tips:

• spray afternoon or early evening
• don't spray when rain may be occurring
• don't pull up the weeds before they've had time to properly absorb the weed killer as absorption can take up to three weeks
• Be sure to read the directions.
• Wear protective clothing - boots, rubber gloves, a mask, clothing that covers arms and legs and can be washed. The chemical gets on boots and can track onto grassy areas or into the house. As for the environment, the danger is runoff into drains or bodies of water and when used in food production.

Wishing you the best with this project. Stay in touch.