it is the Himalayan Balsam, it was introduced into Britain as a garden plant and 'escaped' into the wild in the early 20th century, because it grows to 5ft tall, it stops sunlight reaching other plants and they wither and die, and unlike most native plants, it can fire its seeds to far-flung corners to start new beds next year, up to 20 feet away and what is worse each pod can contain up to 2,500 seeds!
it appears it likes river banks and moist areas, 'Friends of the River Frome' in Somerset are just one group making an all-out attack on the Himalayan balsam and have employed contractors to cut and uproot the weed on the banks of the River Frome from Welshmill to Wallbridge, so far they have cut and disposed of more than eight tonnes of the weed, which is a relative of the Busy Lizzie garden plant, and I thought Busy Lizzies were so nice!
Wednesday, 26 August 2009
Another Alien Invasion,
this time from the Himalayas,
it is the Himalayan Balsam, it was introduced into Britain as a garden plant and 'escaped' into the wild in the early 20th century, because it grows to 5ft tall, it stops sunlight reaching other plants and they wither and die, and unlike most native plants, it can fire its seeds to far-flung corners to start new beds next year, up to 20 feet away and what is worse each pod can contain up to 2,500 seeds!
it appears it likes river banks and moist areas, 'Friends of the River Frome' in Somerset are just one group making an all-out attack on the Himalayan balsam and have employed contractors to cut and uproot the weed on the banks of the River Frome from Welshmill to Wallbridge, so far they have cut and disposed of more than eight tonnes of the weed, which is a relative of the Busy Lizzie garden plant, and I thought Busy Lizzies were so nice!
it is the Himalayan Balsam, it was introduced into Britain as a garden plant and 'escaped' into the wild in the early 20th century, because it grows to 5ft tall, it stops sunlight reaching other plants and they wither and die, and unlike most native plants, it can fire its seeds to far-flung corners to start new beds next year, up to 20 feet away and what is worse each pod can contain up to 2,500 seeds!
it appears it likes river banks and moist areas, 'Friends of the River Frome' in Somerset are just one group making an all-out attack on the Himalayan balsam and have employed contractors to cut and uproot the weed on the banks of the River Frome from Welshmill to Wallbridge, so far they have cut and disposed of more than eight tonnes of the weed, which is a relative of the Busy Lizzie garden plant, and I thought Busy Lizzies were so nice!
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