Call for combined effort to fight alien plants in EL
The “alien plant invasion” is a matter of grave concern to most South Africans. In East London, the problem has assumed frightening proportions, with “Category One” plants (the declared alien invaders not permitted under any circumstances) seen in many places around the city.
The aliens are gobbling up our land and strangling our indigenous plants.
Trying to address the problem through investigating and tracking the offenders could result in an extra budget for our local authorities which in turn would be an extra cost to ratepayers.
May I suggest a combined approach between media and residents to fight the aliens.
The media can target one alien plant per month: give a full description together with pictures, and the residents would be urged to destroy them.
In the initial phase, Bugweed (Solanus Mauritianum), the Castor Oil plant (Ricinus Communis) and the Peanut Butter Cassia (Cassia Didymobotrya) could be targeted before moving on to giant aliens — the Syringa (Nelia Azedarach) and the Brazil Pepper Tree (Schinus Terebinthifolius).
It is difficult to motivate for the removal of the Tecoma Stans but it is an alien and it is invasive.
Many seedlings of the Tecoma Stans are found in the garden after every fruiting.
The birds feast on them. How many seeds are dispersed every season to germinate happily at the cost of our own Grewia or Tecomaris Capensis?
I removed a large Tecoma Stans and was rewarded when in its place a Cussonia grew naturally.
Ink Berry Bushes, Castor Oil bushes and Balloon Vine (Cardiospermum halicacbum) all flourish on either side of The Old Transkei Road.
At one point they threaten a beautiful Bauhinia Galpini. Before long the fruit of these aliens will be evident, and then the seed dispersal.
There may be time to prevent one year’s seeding from becoming seven year’s weeding if we act now.
We could even form a concerned group.
How about Seap — Society for the Eradication of Alien Plants?
Spearheaded by the media, the results of reversing the damage caused by aliens would be evident.
What a worthwhile legacy for the people of this beautiful, but seriously endangered land. indigenous — enthusiast, via e-mail