Weed of the Month – February 2015

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COASTAL TEA TREE

( Leptospermum laevigatum )

 

     

(Photos: http://anpsa.org.au/l-lae.html http://www.friendsofqueensparkbushland.org.au/wp-content/gallery/leptospermum-laevigatum/leptospermum-laevigatum-g3.jpg)

Tolerant of most soil types, and resistant to salt spray, this large, bushy shrub is grown in gardens along the coast… to about 5m tall, and with its greyish foliage, it can look quite attractive. However, although native to south-eastern coasts of Australia, in S.A. is now classed as an environmental weed. Identify it by grey-green, oval-shaped leaves (up to 30mm long) and white flowers. The 5-petalled flowers are round, with lots of little stamens around the centre (see photo above). The thin bark on older branches is quite stringy. Also, the fruits (seed capsules) of this tea tree have 6-11 compartments, distinguishing it from most other tea trees (maximum of 6). Why tea tree? Apparently early settlers used the leaves of some species as a substitute for tea leaves.

Carolyn’s Corner – January 2015

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Another reason I love Cape Jervis. The birds. What a treat to have a kestrel land on our balcony railing and watch us through the glass doors for over 10 minutes. Didn’t even fly off when we slowly opened the doors to get a better photo. Probably a young one – it was so fluffy.

Have you ever seen where a kestrel roosts? If you have, you may have noticed the regurgitated “pellets” that contain indigestible stuff, such as insect bits (see photos). Kestrels are highly adaptable and eat a variety of insects, reptiles, small birds and small mammals. We have lots of pellets on our back porch (home to kestrels when we are in the city).

Photos Carolyn Schultz: Kestrel, insect bits from pellet, intact pellets

 

Next get together, 7 & 8  Feb 2015. Training & cake provided.

We welcome new volunteers.  Contact Carolyn Schultz 0423 213 481.

cjccg.com.au

Weed of the Month – January 2015

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SEA-LAVENDER

(Limonium companyonis)

 

(Photos: E. Cousins; growth habit, side view, close-up of flower, Cape Jervis)

As with January’s Plant of the Month (the Small Yellow Rush-lily), the Sea-lavender looks very dainty. It’s a real shorty, growing to shin high only. At the base of the plant, there is a flat rosette of tough dark green leaves which have bristly hairs on them. Then the branched flower spikes erupt above them, with sprays of funnel-shaped flowers. The individual flowers have 5 petals and are blue-purple, with maroon shades before opening. From November to February, you can see these flowering along the waterfront at Cape Jervis: not unexpected, since they tend to like shallow soil pockets, limestone, saline soil, and full sun. In addition, they are a common weed in overgrazed paddocks, and along roadsides. By the way, these are not really lavenders: they actually belong to the same family as plumbago!

Plant of the Month – January 2015

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SMALL YELLOW RUSH-LILY

(Tricoryne tenella)

   (Photos: E. Cousins; habit, seed capsules, flowers; Cape Jervis)

A little tufted plant, this beauty deserves its name: tenella is from the Latin for ‘dainty’. The actual plant pictured was about 40cm high, with the stems standing almost erect. Mostly they grow to about 45cm. There are almost no leaves, and the ones there are, are just little scales. However, the stems branch into slender clusters, making for a dense little plant. The flowers appear in spring to midsummer. These are yellow and 6-petalled, with a cute little group of very upright stamens. The flowers roll into a tight twist when finished (you can see one twist clearly in the centre photo). These are followed by the seed capsules, with a conical tip and three small ribs, hence the ‘tri’ in ‘tricoryne’. The plants will grow on sand along the coast, or in the heath and mallee…quite good for us in S.A. then!

Carolyn’s Corner – December 2014

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What does success look like? We know we are making a difference when the plants survive (big tick), and an even bigger tick when the seedlings we plant flower and spread their seed allowing for natural recruitment. Nature (birds, wind and water) help us out, as long as we keep the weeds down, to prevent competition.  Examples of plants that are flowering and have set seed on site include Goodenia amplexans, Vittidinia sp, Lotus australis, Dianella, Scaevola and all of the grasses (wallaby, kangaroo, spear grass, poa).

Those passing by the plantings near the ferry terminal will notice the area has been slashed & weeded to help out the new plants.

Photos Liz Cousins, Cape Jervis (Goodenia, Lotus, Dianella)

 

Next get together, Sat 6 (10am-4pm)  & Sun 7 Dec (9am-12noon)

  • Seed collecting & weeding.

We welcome new volunteers, even an hour or two is a big help.

Training & cake provided. Contact Carolyn Schultz 0423 213 481.

Plant of the Month – December 2014

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STRIPED HAKEA

(Hakea vittata)

(Photos: E. Cousins; habit; close-up of flowering stem; Cape Jervis)

Another spring flowering shrub, good for sandy or limestone soils. It can look a bit sprawly, but can also grow up to head high. From August to November, spider-like white flowers occur in clusters along the stems, at the base of the leaves. Hakeas can be distinguished from grevilleas, which they are very much like, by their woody seed pods. The seed pods of the striped hakea have two little horns, and lengthwise markings (vittatus means ‘longitudinally striped’ in Latin). Leaves are thin cylinders, no more than 1.5mm wide, and appear alternately on the stems. What look like clusters of tiny leaves on those stems might be ‘witches broom’ galls instead…these are caused when branches are infected by a rust fungus.

Weed of the Month – December 2014

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NEW ZEALAND MIRROR BUSH

(Coprosma repens)

            

(Photos: E. Cousins & C. Schultz; growth habit, close-up of glossy leaves, female flower, male flower; Cape Jervis)

There are many lovely Coprosma cultivars sold at garden centres, and they make very attractive garden plants. The one pictured here though, Coprosma repens, with its big, oval, glossy green leaves, is prohibited from sale.  It is not one of the major “declared weeds” but it has naturalized in coastal areas of southern and south eastern Australia. There are several 2 metre tall specimens of this spreading shrub on the coastal reserve at Cape Jervis. Infestations often start under trees, from birds dropping seeds. There are distinct male/female forms of the small flowers, normally occurring on separate plants. In December, have a gander: work out if the flowers you see are lads or lasses!

(Hint: the female flowers have a ‘style’ with 2 thick branches; see photo above.)

Carolyn’s Corner – November 2014

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What does success look like? We know we are making a difference when the plants survive (big tick), and an even bigger tick when the seedlings we plant flower and spread their seed allowing for natural recruitment. Nature (birds, wind and water) help us out, as long as we keep the weeds down, to prevent competition.  Examples of plants that are flowering and have set seed on site include Goodenia amplexans, Vittidinia sp, Lotus australis, Dianella, Scaevola and all of the grasses (wallaby, kangaroo, spear grass, poa).

Those passing by the plantings near the ferry terminal will notice the area has been slashed & weeded to help out the new plants.

Photos Liz Cousins, Cape Jervis (Goodenia, Lotus, Dianella)

Next get together:

Sat 6 (10am-4pm)  & Sun 7 Dec (9am-12noon)

Seed collecting & weeding.

We welcome new volunteers, even an hour or two is a big help.

Training & cake provided. Contact Carolyn Schultz 0423 213 481.

Plant of the Month – November 2014

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KNOBBY CLUB RUSH

(Ficinia nodosa, originally Isolepsis nodosa)

(Photos: E. Cousins; growth habit; knobbly foliage, knobby seed head on leaf)

This is a common sedge around the coastline near Cape Jervis. Look for the gentle weeping habit and the deep green cylindrical foliage. It grows in tufts, or clumps, from stout rhizomes. The clumps can grow to about 1 metre tall, and spread up to about 1 metre at the base. The plant gets its common name from the dense brownish growths on the foliage. These are the plant’s flower- and seed-heads. This plant would look good as a contrast to soft foliage or lighter coloured plants in your garden too. And it is a toughie: it likes sandy soil, and will tolerate full coastal exposure, drought and frost. It might go a little bit yellow in really cold weather… never mind, though, it’ll green up again in spring!

Weed of the Month – November 2014

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EVENING PRIMROSE

(Oenothera stricta ssp. stricta)

                        

(Photos: C. Schultz, Cape Jervis; opening and withered flowers; flowering plant; base leaves)

The evening primrose produces erect flowering spikes most of the year; the 10cm yellow flowers are tubular, with 4 petals and 8 stamens. As the name suggests, flowers open in the evening. They then redden and wither away the next day as the flower above them on the spike opens. Most of the leaves are at the base, but smaller ones spiral up the flower spike. Both sets of leaves have a pointed tip and wavy edges; however the base leaves are hairless while the leaves on the flower spikes have tiny hairs. The stems themselves are hairy too, and often woody but unbranched. Originally from South America but now naturalized in S.A., the evening primrose is classified as an environmental weed; that is, it invades native ecosystems and adversely affects the survival of indigenous flora and fauna.