Shade Loving Weeds and Revegetation

Re-vegetation with native species can be a great way to enhance the local environment, provide habitat for local wildlife and also shade out weeds such as Blackberries and Ragwort. One thing to be aware of is that some weeds thrive in shady conditions and if left unchecked can rapidly take over and smother and kill any of your new plantings and provide no chance for other native species to naturally regenerate. Weeds that already exist in the area and that thrive under canopy shade include Blue Periwinkle (Vinca Major), Arum Lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica) and Wandering Creeper (Tradescantia fluminensis). A major priority of any project, where shady conditions exist or will be created, should be to control these weeds if they are present. If you are planning re-vegetation these weeds should be eliminated from a site before you start any planting.

Blue Periwinkle has taken over the understorey under the canopy of these trees at this site in Traralgon South.

Very High Threat – Environmental Weeds

Environmental weeds can be catergorised in terms of their potential impact. The higher a weeds potential for invasion into established bushland, the more it can negatively affect the ecology of an area, and the way that a particular weed can disperse or spread are key factors in determining how big a risk it poses. Some of these very high threat weeds are already occur in this district e.g. Blackberries, Blue Periwinkle and some Willow species and control of these weeds should be a priority when you are aiming to protect native bushland. It is also very important to be on the look out for new high threat weeds that may get introduced. Common ways this can happen is via them escaping from nearby gardens or spreading from green waste that has been illeagally dumped in the forest. High threat species to look out for include Fushchias, White Arum-lily, Spanish Heath, English Broom, Holly, English Ivy and Bluebell Creeper.

Trifolim repens – White clover

Blackberry Species

Salix Spp – Willows

Erharta erecta – Panic Veldt Grass

Genista monspessulana – Montpellier Broom (Seedling)

Acer pseudoplantus – Sycamore Maple – Some Large infestations occur in Tarra Bulga National Park

Holcus lanatus – Yorkshire Fog

Fraxinus angustifolia – Desert Ash

Vinca Major – Blue Periwinkle

Briza maxima – Quaking Grass

Acacia baileyana – Cootamundra Wattle

Vinca major – Blue Periwinkle

Senecio jacobea – Ragwort

Fuchsia magellanica – Fuchsia

Pinus Radiata – Montery Pine wildling invading forest