It is the time of year when the roadside weed, Watsonia or Bugle Lily, is in full bloom.
Watsonia is a native to southern Africa. There are about 70 species worldwide. The one we have in our district is most likely Watsonia meriana. It is a garden escapee that has become well-established around the country. One of its first introductions was to a private garden in Adelaide in 1842. It appears as a listed plant in the Melbourne Botanic Gardens in 1859.
The species forms dense colonies in roadside localities and disturbed bushland sites, particularly in wet areas. Watsonia has exceptional capacity to reproduce both from seed and vegetatively.
Some references suggest it can be toxic to stock. Native wildlife certainly appears to avoid it. The main issue with Watsonia is that in natural bushland sites, the dense colonies crowd out any native plants in the vicinity.
Control of Watsonia can be difficult if not done with proper follow up procedures. Watsonia is a declared noxious weed in Baw Baw Shire.
The amount of Watsonia growing on the side of the freeway between Warragul and Moe is alarming.
ReplyDeleteIndeed Geoff, that is a bad infestation - VicRail?
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