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One Man's Weed...:)

On Fri, 17 Apr 1998, Nick Turland wrote:

[concerning R. ponticum]

> Sadly they are indeed noxious weeds in the U.K., beautiful though they
> are. They take over large areas of woodland where the soil is sandy and
> acidic, and the dense, evergreen foliage cuts out light, out-competing
> most other plants. 

We have no problems with Rhododendrons in the northwest - our two common
ones in my area are R.  macrophyllum which is beautiful in the wild,
though as a garden plant tends to be a little scraggly, and R. 
albiflorum, with small white flowers and found at high elevations, doesn't
grow in gardens and it's hardly known. 

One of our own worst weeds is English ivy, which has been considered for
the noxious weed lists but its horticultural use makes them reluctant to
put it there.  It takes over huge tracts and prevents other forest plants
from germinating.  A big problem is that unlike other parts of the
country, it goes sexual here and produces berries that get carried by
birds.  There are efforts underway to identify varieties that don't
flower.

Another plant from England that some consider weedy is the hyacinth-like
Bluebell (Endymion, not Mertensia).  It can take over gardens in a few
years, and carpets lots of woodlands in the city.  But most people don't
mind, they are beautiful.

And of course there is hedge bindweed, Convolvulus sepium (now
Calystegia), like a giant morning glory that spreads by underground
runners.  I think its one of the worst things I have to deal with and
despair of ever being rid of it.

I wonder Nick, are there natural mechanisms that keep these plants in
check in England?  Or are huge stands of English ivy and hedge
bindweed considered just a natural part of the landscape?  

Bob
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