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MOSSEL BAY NEWS - The latest Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA) Eden district newsletter remind readers of alien invasive plants which are a problem in the Garden Route area.
The newsletter lists 15 plants and provides photographs. These are only a few of the plants that are a problem, the newsletter notes.
Some of them are commonly found in people's gardens. People might be surprised that the loquat tree and sword fern, for example, are aliens.
The plants are:
- Black wattle,
- Blackwood,
- Blackberry (European),
- Bugweed
- Cannas,
- European Elder,
- Lantana,
- Loquat tree,
- Moth catcher,
- Madeira Vine,
- Pampas Grass,
- Sword Fern,
- Wild ginger,
- Morning Glory,
- False Agave.
They fall into various categories, depending on how much of a threat they are. To see which categories these plants are listed in, see: https://invasives.org.za/national-legislation/.
The newsletter offers ways one can help to eradicate the plants:
- Become informed about the impact of invasive alien plants.
- Report sightings of invasives so that action can be taken to control the spread of these species.
The National List of Invasive Species (NEMBA) includes 567 species. The most recent list was issued in September 2020.
PHOTO GALLERY: Alien invasive plants that are found in our gardens!
Black wattle
Control vegetation
The newsletter lists ways to control invasive alien vegetation:
- Biological: some alien plants have natural enemies, such as insects and diseases that only affect a specific species. The controlling agents (beetles, viruses) are sourced from the country of origin and released here among an invasive species to control it.
- Manual: young or small invaders can be removed from the soil with your hands. The plants should be stacked responsibly to prevent regrowth.
- Mechanical: plants and trees can be chopped down with a hatchet, panga, bow saw or chainsaw. Trees can also be killed by removing a 30 to 40cm strip of bark around the trunks, known as ring barking. This prevents food going to the leaves and kills the tree.
- Chemical: Two or more methods can be used at the same time, for example, ring barking and then spraying a registered herbicide on the stump.
Email Wessa Eden at wessageorge@isat.co.za for more information.
Lantana
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