Wellesbourne allotments have teamed up with Coventry University and Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland on a project calling on gardeners to help stop invasive plants from escaping their gardens.
From August 2020 and through 2021, the Allotments will be surveyed as part of this new PLANT ALERT PROJECT.
Plant Alert is a citizen science project asking plot holders and gardeners to use a web-based app to record problem plants before they spread into the wild.
Project Assistant, April Webb is surveying our Allotments over the next 12 months and will be giving members an update on her findings at the next AGM.
Already, the survey has identified Pale Galingale (Cyperus eragrostis ) growing in various locations within Wellesbourne - A highly invasive, non-native sedge that has been introduced into the UK through bird seed mix commonly found on most UK bird tables and by UK Garden Centres selling this plant for garden ponds.
Pale Galingale is listed as ‘critical’ (requiring a more detailed risk assessment as a matter of priority) on Natural England’s commission -Horizon Scanning for Invasive non-native species in GB (INNS) - page 14 and as a species of concern on Section 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act.
Dr Katharina Dehnen-Schmutz, Associate Professor in Plant Ecology at the University’s Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience is a co-ordinator on the project.
In the Victorian era, well-meaning horticulturists introduced plants like Himalayan balsam and Japanese Knotweed to Britain.
The imported balsam still continues to swamp native riverside and woodland vegetation, while the alien knotweed can cause headaches for house-holders seeking insurance.
“Plants like that have escaped from gardens into the wild and some are a major threat to native plant species in the British flora. They can have high negative impacts on ecosystems, biodiversity and the built environment.That is why we want gardeners to help our work by reporting troublesome plants like Giant Rhubarb and Three Cornered Leek on Plant Alert. Gardeners are best placed to spot potential troublemakers - the plants that have to be controlled to prevent them from overgrowing other plants or spreading into parts of the garden where they are not wanted.”
Traits which should set alarm bells ringing for gardeners include vigorous growth, prolific self-seeding, longer flowering periods and any plant which the gardener has to ‘keep on top of’ to prevent it spreading.
“Bitter experience has shown that species that are invasive in gardens are also the ones that are likely to ‘jump the garden fence’ and cause problems in the wild; usually because they can regenerate very effectively and grow vigorously, outcompeting native species.The most effective way to reduce the impacts of these species is to identify them before they escape into wild - this is exactly what this project aims to achieve.”
Results from Project Alert so far, including the ten most frequently recorded invasive plants that have escaped from our gardens. Whilst you’d expect Japanese Knotweed and Himalayan Balsam to be on this list, others may surprise you and which are easily bought from UK Nurseries.
As well as
Symphoricarpos albus “Snowberry”
Erigeron karvinskianus “Mexican Fleabane”
Soleirolia soleirolii “Mind-your-own-business”
Rhododendron ponticum “Rhododendron”
Geranium macrorrhizum “Rock Crane's-bill”
Leycesteria formosa “Himalayan Honeysuckle”
Gardeners of all levels and experience are asked to use this web-based app and report potentially invasive plants.
Whilst the RHS has more detailed advice on managing potentially invasive ‘ thugs’ in our gardens to ensure they do not escape into the wild, the rule of thumb is not to allow these plants to go seed, do not compost seed heads and roots and where appropriate burning.
Gardeners are also advised to buy bird seed whose contents have been grown in the UK such as those recommended by the Wildlife Trust and to stop purchasing potentially invasive plants for their garden ponds. Gardeners of all levels and experience are asked to use this web-based app and report potentially invasive plants.
HOW TO IDENTIFY CYPERUS ERAGOSTIS / Pale Galingale
Cyperus eragrostis - also known as tall flat sedge, nutgrass, tall nutgrass, umbrella sedge, chufa, Earth almond, zula nuts, edible galingale and pale galingale
Perennial Sedge with a tall grass like appearance - up to approx 60cm high
Rhizome root system - tough, dense, highly vigorous.
Flower / seed head is yellow / green spikelets comprising of numerous flat / oblong seed pods, which together form an umbrella shape above a few short pointed leaves.
Cyperus eragrostis is highly invasive, partly due its persistent and massive seed bank - the seed head of one plant can produce upwards of 80,000 seeds. This non-native sedge has been introduced into the UK through bird seed mix and by Garden Centres selling plants for garden ponds.
DISPOSAL - BURN AND REMOVE FROM SITE - DO NOT COMPOST
Photograph the plant, recording where and when identified
Remove seed head and bag immediately into a paper bag without causing seed dispersal.
Remove all leaves and root system and immediately place into the paper bag.
Burn the bag and contents and then deposit cooled ash in normal house hold rubbish bin. DO NOT COMPOST.
Email images and your notes to John Wilson - mugwafin@gmail.com and add your siting to the UK survey below