Plants Behaving Badly

Some plants don't stay where they are planted. It is disappointing, but there are some plants that come from other countries that have adapted too well to our local environments and take over if they get out of our gardens. 

Some like holly and ivy, produce berries that attract birds and foxes. The birds and other animals eat the berries and drop the seed in other gardens or in local bushland and forest. Some plants are better not planted in our gardens in the first place. They make extra work for us if we have to remove berries or cut off seed heads (agapanthus) to stop them spreading. Plants like agapanthus are attractive but do get into local bushland and are hard to remove.

Why are some plants regarded as environmental weeds?

• are easily spread by seed, pieces or runners via birds, animals,  soil, water or humans

• grow easily, are highly competitive and exclude the local plants that are needed by wildlife for food 

• make it difficult to access some areas as the weeds form thick, prickly barriers 

• some form dense shade and exclude other plants from growing

• some Australian native plants also become weeds when grown outside their home areas e.g Bluebell Creeper (see below) and Pittosporum

What can we do as gardeners?

• choose what we plant in our gardens with care and ask if it is going to be invasive before we purchase from a market or nursery

• have a look around our garden and plan to remove plants that are not native that have berries or are weedy (i.e. we a constantly pulling up seedlings)

• remove weed seedlings when they are small and the soil is damp. 

• chat to our neighbours and encourage them to remove weedy plants and suggest replacements

• pull out weedy garden plants if we see them in the local bushland

• dispose of weeds carefully and don't put plants with berries in the green mulch pile at the transfer station. 

• learn more about weeds and how they spread and join a local group to help with weed control

Here is a link to a brochure on some of the weeds found in Moorabool Shire

Plants to plan to remove

Holly (Ilex aquifolium)

Holly forms dense stands, excludes native plants and changes the environment where it grows. It is a large shrub /small tree and may grow to more than 3m high. It produces deep shade and likes to grow in mosit areas near waterways but will survive in drier areas. The attract red berries are spread widely mainly by Blackbirds, foxes and Currawongs.  The leaves are dark green and very prickly.

It also forms a prickly impenetrable barrier especially when growing with blackberry in our forests. It favours areas in Wombat State Forest around Blackwood, Trentham, Bullarto with some patches also found in Mt Egerton bushland. These would all have come from plants grown in local gardens. Holly provides shelter for rabbits and foxes and reduces the area available for native plants that provived habitat for local wildlife. 

Another plantwith berries that should be removed is Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) 

You may choose to plant  rhododendrons, camellias & sasanquas instead or the native Rough Coprosma which has a small red fruit.

We are supporting Blackwood & Barry's Reef Landcare in their project to remove holly and other woody weeds to protect the ecological values and habitat of the Wombat State Forest. Here is link to the group's weed brochure

Photos below are of Holly (Ilex aquifolium) - the berries,  a seedling and a mature large shrub.

 Say No to Bluebell Creeper 

Pretty But Problematic!

Billardiera fusiformis ( formally Sollya heterophylla), Bluebell Creeper, is native to Western Australia but is an aggressive environmental weed in Victoria. We need to stop its spread.

WHY REMOVE IT?

Invasive Species

Spreads aggressively in bushland, smothering native vegetation and outcompeting local plants.

Seed Spread by Birds & Foxes

The attractive berries are eaten by wildlife, birds and foxes and is spread over long distances, increasing its impact. Grows readily from seed.

Spread by humans planted as a climber. Also, when garden rubbish and prunings are dumped in the bush 

Chokes Native Biodiversity

Forms dense thickets that block sunlight and prevent regeneration of indigenous species.

Difficult to Control

Rapid growth from seeds and resprouting after cutting make it hard to manage once established.

Toxic to Some Wildlife & Humans

Berries may be harmful to native fauna not adapted to it. May cause skin irritation and nausea.

How to control the spread of Bluebell Creeper

• If you see Bluebell Creeper in a local nursery or at a market, do not purchase it, choose a local species instead. Suggest the nursery doesn't stock the plant.

• Notify Council where plants are growing on a roadside. Sometimes Council will need to negotiate with other land managers to implement a control program.

• Add a few photos of the plant incuding flowers/fruits to the iNaturalist app. This helps to map where the plants are located and indicates local hotspots.

• Remove plants from your garden especially if you live close to bushland.

• Small plants may be removed by hand. Larger plants may require a mattock to remove the roots from the soil. Be aware that is very similar to the indigenous Billardiera scandens (Apple Berry), which is much less vigorous in habit (see photos below).

Bluebell Creeper Look-a-Like - don't pull out it is a local native species

Some other weedy plants we see in gardens and are jumping the fence and invading local bushland and forest