Keeping an eye for invasive plants

GUNHILD VOIGTSTHE rainy season has come to an end.

Although Namibia has lost a number of individual plants during the last few years of drought, it is amazing to see what has recovered from the bare ground after the recent season of good rains.

However, it is not only the Namibian plant species which are trying to recover.

Several highly invasive and damaging plants are taking over the habitat of the country’s vegetation.

At first glance, they might look quite attractive. But a second look reveals that they are damaging properties, and an incredibly high number of seeds, which are capable of germinating, pose a severe threat to the indigenous environment.

The pods of the present plants are about to mature. If allowed to crack open and disperse their seeds, another outburst of invasion is to be expected.

That is why it is important to pull up sleeves to remove these plants and prevent new growth in the next rainy season.

The invasive plants should be pulled out and the seeds burned.

These can be disposed of at municipal landfill sites. In Windhoek, the preferred landfill would be the one in Eros, where everything is covered with several metres of building rubble to prevent regrowth.

This invasive species cannot be eaten by domestic animals. The species has been proceeding into riverbeds and surrounding farmland.

This is an extremely poisonous plant to herbivores and humans. When spotted, all of its pods should be removed before the seeds are released and spread by the wind.

This plant produces about 50 seeds per capsule. Its flowers and capsules should be removed before they mature to prevent extreme further invasion.

This plant is a genus of nine species of poisonous vespertine-flowering plants. They are deadly poisonous. As they are annuals, they should be carefully and completely removed during one season.

This is a species of prickly poppy. It is commonly found as a weed of roadsides, mining dumps, recently cultivated paddocks and degraded land. This species should be destroyed before it produces flowers and seeds.

Agavae: It becomes invasive when left to grow until it can no longer be handled.

This is one of the most widely spread and dangerous invasive species in Namibia. It is often found in riverbeds and nearby areas. If left to proceed, Prosopis thickets would soon replace all Namibian vegetation.

Some species of this plant have been categorised as invasive. In some instances, it is used to dry out swamps and reduce groundwater levels, thus these trees should urgently be felled.

Is part of Namibia’s ‘Nasty Nine’. It causes damage to foundations and structures. Millions of seeds are about to be released this season.

Is categorised as one of the world’s 10 worst invasive species. It is a small shrub with sharp prickles on the stems that grow over and smother other plants. It produces small, black berries which are poisonous to mammals. It should not be allowed to form thickets.

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