National Weedbuster Week takes place from October 5 to 11, 2009 and in celebration of this important event, gardeners are encouraged to learn to recognise declared invasive alien weeds in their gardens and to instead plant beautiful indigenous plants or stunning non-invasive exotic plants.
Throughout South Africa, invasive exotic water plants introduced from overseas as pond or aquarium plants are having a devastating affect on our water ways. When these plants escape from our gardens (and they have!) into wetlands, rivers and dams, they compete with indigenous water plants for light and air. And, exotic invasive plants are stronger than indigenous plants, as the diseases, pests and herbivores that keep them in check were left behind in their country of origin.
All it takes to start an environmental infestation is a bit of leaf or stem, and invasive water weeds are vigorous growers. Once they have taken hold, they are very difficult to control. So if you have any of these plants in your pond or aquarium, get rid of them. Remove every bit of the plant by hand, put in a sealed plastic bag where the plant will die and safely dispose of the bag.
Stop the spread of these invasive water weeds!
- Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) – category 1.
- Water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) – category 1.
- Pickerelweed (Pontedaria cordata) – category 3.
- Kariba weed (Salvinia molesta) – category 1.
- Red water fern (Azolla filiculoides) – category 1.
- Parrot’s feather (Myriophyllum aquaticum) – category 1.
- Spiked water-milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) – category 1.
- Dense water weed (Egeria densa) – category 1.
- Canadian water weed (Elodea canadensis) – category 1.
- Giant reed (Arundo donax) – category 1.
- Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) – category 1.
- Indian shot (Canna indica) – category 1.
What the law says about IAPs
On March 30, 2001 the National Department of Agriculture passed amendments to the regulations under the Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act, 1983 (Act No 43 of 1983) declaring 198 plants as invasive alien plant species. Under this legislation, landowners are responsible for the control of invasive alien plants (IAPs) on their properties. IAPs are divided into three categories:
Category 1: These invasive alien plants may no longer be grown anywhere in South Africa. If they are in your garden, they should be removed and destroyed immediately. Trade in these plants is prohibited.
Category 2: Primarily plants of commercial value (to forestry and agriculture), these invasive alien plants must be removed from suburban gardens and can only be grown with a permit in public spaces such as parks, schools and hospitals. Permits are obtainable from regional offices of the National Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry.
Category 3: These invasive alien plants are permitted to grow where they already exist. However, no propagating, new planting or trade is permitted. In other words, plants already growing in the garden may remain, but no more may be planted.
Source: Working for Water Nurseries Partnership Programme, tel: 011 723 9000.
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