Exotic plants that escape from people’s gardens continue to cause huge problems in the Tea Gardens and Hawks Nest area.
Typical of these invasive species is the agave americana, a species native in the Americas that can be bought from nurseries in Australia as decorative garden plants. They are tough plants and easy to grow.
The agave has thick, sap-filled leaves whose edges are lined with sharp, needle-like spikes dangerous to humans and native creatures.
They are especially hard to eradicate, as some 20 volunteers of the Hawks Nest and Tea Gardens Bitou Busters found while trying to clear them from the dunes along The Boulevarde at Winda Woppa.
Wearing safety glasses, overalls, boots and thick gloves, they battled for two hours to remove dozens of agave plants and load them into two utes to be safely disposed of at the council tip.
Some of the plants were so deeply rooted the volunteers needed ropes tied to their 4WDs to drag them out, careful not to get injured by the spikes.
Agave sap can cause contact dermatitis.
Typical of these invasive species is the agave americana, a species native in the Americas that can be bought from nurseries in Australia as decorative garden plants. They are tough plants and easy to grow.
The agave has thick, sap-filled leaves whose edges are lined with sharp, needle-like spikes dangerous to humans and native creatures.
They are especially hard to eradicate, as some 20 volunteers of the Hawks Nest and Tea Gardens Bitou Busters found while trying to clear them from the dunes along The Boulevarde at Winda Woppa.
Wearing safety glasses, overalls, boots and thick gloves, they battled for two hours to remove dozens of agave plants and load them into two utes to be safely disposed of at the council tip.
Some of the plants were so deeply rooted the volunteers needed ropes tied to their 4WDs to drag them out, careful not to get injured by the spikes.
Agave sap can cause contact dermatitis.
Agave plant
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Agave plant in flower
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Agave plant collapsed under weight of 'pups'(young plants)
Weeds compete with native plant species for nutrients, water, sunlight and space. They form dense areas of vegetation that shade and smother natives, destroying habitat for native animals and harming our unique fauna.
A weed is simply a plant that is growing in a place where it is not wanted. 65% of weeds invading bushland were from urban gardens. Once established these weeds are difficult and expensive to control.
Already here are succulents, assorted daisies, orchids, bitou bush, mother-of-millions, morning glory, polygala, E. cassia and asparagus fern which are all found on the dunes along The Boulevarde.
Plant expert Sharon Taylor, who is one of the Bitou Busters’ organisers, advised: “Keep garden plants in the garden and out of the bush. Dispose of garden waste in council green bins.
“If you are a gardener and keen to beautify this area, you could join Bitou Busters and learn about bush regeneration.”
Dumping in bushland and reserves is illegal and can attract on-the-spot fines of up to $5,000
A weed is simply a plant that is growing in a place where it is not wanted. 65% of weeds invading bushland were from urban gardens. Once established these weeds are difficult and expensive to control.
Already here are succulents, assorted daisies, orchids, bitou bush, mother-of-millions, morning glory, polygala, E. cassia and asparagus fern which are all found on the dunes along The Boulevarde.
Plant expert Sharon Taylor, who is one of the Bitou Busters’ organisers, advised: “Keep garden plants in the garden and out of the bush. Dispose of garden waste in council green bins.
“If you are a gardener and keen to beautify this area, you could join Bitou Busters and learn about bush regeneration.”
Dumping in bushland and reserves is illegal and can attract on-the-spot fines of up to $5,000
UTE full of agave for the council tip
