Re: Was: OLEANDERS, now: xenohortphobia?



>At 10:02 AM Thursday 30-11-00 -0800, Sean wrote:
>
>>I don't know the specifics in other areas, but I do know that numerous
>>invaders in California do cause problems with regard to habitat loss and
>>physical problems (erosion, etc.).  Not all exotics are problematic, but
>>vigilance is required in our area since we have so many unique
>>micro-climates - you never know when a garden plant may finally find a
>>niche and take off into the wild landscape.  I would temper the attitude
>>in South Africa with dealing primarily with those species that are seen to
>>be a big problem.  Oleanders locally never seem to self-seed or 'escape' -
>>I wonder if this is a problem in other places?
>
>Here (east coast of Australia) I've certainly had oleanders self-seed in my
>garden.  But they don't seem to escape into the bush -- and I've never
>noticed them on the "noxious weed" lists where all the problem escapees end
>up.  Are things different in S Africa?   It's hard to believe they would be
>on the banned list there unless they were already causing serious problems
>-- not just that someone thought they might.
>
>Gees they're hard to kill though!
>
>John.


It puzzles me as well. I've never known them to escape here or cause a
problem.
The new regulations are country wide, which in SA covers a wide climate &
habitat range. They've listed about 190 plants with different restrictions
on them, some only for specific parts of the country.
Some of the species listed were a bit of a shock & covered some of the
really dependable old standbys such as Schinus molle & Metrosideros excelsa.
Both totally bulletproof trees where nothing else will do & I've never seen
any sign of escape. But then I'm told the Metrosideros is seeding about 100
km from Capetown, in Bettys Bay, where there are quite extensive coastal
marshs with highly specialised plant associations. Its these wetlands
they're invading & not the drier coast margins, where I'm familiar with them
from in NZ., & where I would expect the problem to be. Its probably a
similar situation with the Nerium in finding a niche in a new location.
Personally I won't be sorry to see them go. I regard them as pretty sterile
looking. The median strip plantings of mixed indigenous material is far more
inspiring.

As a note here, the main thrust of alien eradication is due to a realisation
that they are major water robbers when compared to the indigenous flora. The
limited rainfall we do get doesn't reach the streams & groundwater as it
used to & this is causing great worry.
Capetown is currently on water restrictions. If you're dependent on
municipal water then garden watering is only allowed for 1 hour in the
morning & evening on every second day. Our winters for the last 3 years have
been abnormally dry & the dams are getting low. Its quite a wake up call as
you can imagine. My ground water has a reduced flow & I'm currently in the
process of building collection drains on all the nursery beds to recycle the
water for irrigating the garden.

Regards

Glenn
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