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Carpobrotus edulis – Hottontot Fig Other common name: Ice plant and in South Africa as the sour fig, on account of its edible fruit. Family: Aizoaceae Genus: Carpobrotus, another species that’s very popular as an ornamental garden plant. This one is quite easy to distinguish with its 3-angled succulent leaves and large yellow flowers that
Family: Polygonaceae Genus: It is a giant, erect perennial herb which forms dense thickets. Stems grow 4-5 m in a single season and bear large, alternate leaves up to 40cm long with heart-shaped bases. In summer plants bear dense panicles of small green-white flowers and seed is sometimes produced. It hybridises with Japanese Knotweed to give
Senecio jacobaea– Common Ragwort Other common name: Stinking willie Family: Asteraceae Genus: Jacobaea is not usually a significant problem in gardens, but its poisonous qualities can make it a serious weed of paddocks and gardens backing onto fields grazed by horses or cattle. Details: Ragwort is a tall erect plant to 90cm, bearing large flat-topped clusters of yellow daisy-like flowers
Rumex Obtusifolius– Broad-leaved Dock Other common name: Bitter dock Family: Polygonaceae Genus: Broad-leaved dock can be found throughout the UK, it is a native species commonly found on waste grounds, farmland, hedgerows, road side verges, woodlands and gardens, and thrives in high nitrogen environments. Details: The species is slightly poisonous and can cause sickness in livestock, the milky sap
I was recently involved in an exchange on twitter where my understanding of the term “invasive species” was questioned, so I thought I would look into other points of view and share a little information. In many places (particularly South Africa and Australia), “invasive species” is a term used exclusively to identify non-native species which
Buddleja davidii – Butterfly bush Family: Scrophulariaceae Genus: Buddleja can be evergreen or deciduous shrubs, occasionally trees or scrambling climbers with simple leaves and panicles of small, tubular fragrant flowers Buddleja or as it is often spelt Buddleia is often referred to as the Butterfly bush because, as the name suggests of its attractiveness to butterflies. It is a
Chamerion angustifolium – Rosebay willowherb Other common name: Bombweed or Fireweed in the US Family: Onagraceae Rosebay willowherb can be found throughout the UK, it is a native species commonly found in open spaces and clearings in grasslands, farmlands, roadside verges, woodlands and gardens. It is a rhizomatous perennial species which can quickly colonise bare and
Rubus Fruticosus – Bramble Other common name: Blackberry Bush Family: Rosaceae Genus: Rubus is a large and diverse genus of flowering plants with 250–700 species. Raspberries and blackberries are common members of the genus. Details: Brambles have long, thorny, arching shoots, which can grow 1.8-2.5m in length. Brambles can become a problem where seedlings are allowed to take root, or where stems of established plants have rooted at intervals.
Gunnera Manicata – Giant Rhubarb Other common name: Chilean or prickly rhubarb Family: Gunneraceae Genus: Gunnera may be evergreen or herbaceous rhizomatous perennials, and range from small creeping plants to very large with huge leaves. The tiny red-brown flowers are small, borne in narrow panicles or spikes to 1m in height and may be followed by small berry-like fruits Details: G.
Pelargonium – Geranium Other common name: Imperial Butterfly Family: Genaniaceae Genus: Pelargonium can be perennials, sub-shrubs or shrubs, sometimes succulent and mostly evergreen, with palmately lobed or pinnately divided leaves and clusters of slightly irregular, 5-petalled flowers Details: With its lemon-scented leaves Imperial Butterfly’ is a very floriferous, compact cultivar with viola-shaped, large white flowers. The upper petals are centrally
