Thecommonmulberryandcoral
bush,amongotherproblem
plants,willbediscussed.
- Commonmulberry
(Morusalba)
Thisspecieshasbeenwidely
cultivatedingardensforits
fruit,anditsleavesareused
tofeedsilkworms.Onyoung,
vigorousshoots,theleaves
maybeupto30cmlong;on
oldertrees,theleavesare
generally5cmto15cmlong.
M.albaoutcompetesand
displacesnativeplants
becauseofitsfastgrowth
rateandgreatadaptability
toadverseenvironments.
Invasivestatus:NEMBA
Category3; a problemin
Gauteng,KwaZulu-Natal,
MpumalangaandLimpopo. - Commonpampasgrass
(Cortaderiaselloana[Poaceae])
Thisvigoroustussockgrass
hasfloweringstalksthatgrow
upto4mhigh.It hasgreyish-
orbluish-greenleaveswith
roughmargins.Silvery-white
topinkormauve,feathery
inflorescencesappearfrom
FebruarytoApril.
Thegrassinvadesriver
banksandseasonallywet
habitats,displacingsmaller
indigenousspecies.
Invasivestatus:NEMBA
Category1b.A probleminthe
WesternandEasternCape,
KwaZulu-NatalandGauteng. - Commonprivet
(Ligustrumvulgare[Oleaceae])
Thisdeciduousorsemi-evergreen
shrubreaches3mto6mhigh.
It hasmid-todark-green
leaves.Heavilyscentedwhite
flowersappearfromOctober
toFebruary,followedbytiny
blackberries.Theleavesand
fruitsarepoisonous.Competes
with,andhasthepotentialto
replace,indigenousspecies.
1:Thecommon
mulberryproduces
ediblefruitand
leavesusedfor
feedingsilkworms.
Birdseatthefruits,
anddisperse
theseeds.
FDEZ
2:Common
pampasgrass
growsupto3,5m
in diameter.
JLPC
3:Ardisiacrenata
producescoral-red
fruitsin drooping
clusters;theseedis
dispersedbybirds.
AUGUSTUSBINU
4:Indigenous
birdscouldneglect
thedispersalof
indigenousplants
becauseoftheir
preferencefor
thefruitsofthe
commonprivet.
RASBAKThefollowinginvasivealien plantspeciesreproduceandspreadquickly, formingdense
populationsin naturalhabitats,whichreplacenativespeciesandstifletheirregeneration.
Conservation
Know your invasive species!
Invasive status: NEMBA
Category 1b in KwaZulu-Natal,
Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Eastern
and Western Cape, Gauteng
and North West; Category 3 in
Free State and Northern Cape.- Coralbush
(Ardisia crenata [Myrsinaceae])
Also known as the coralberry
tree, this evergreen shrub
reaches up to 2m high with
stems that continue to grow
beyond the flowering branches.
It has bright-green, lance-shaped
leaves; white or pink flowers
appear in clusters at the tips
of the branches from June to
November. Coral-red fruits occur
in drooping clusters. Competes
with and has the potential to
replace indigenous species,
particularly in the understoreys
and margins of forests.
Invasive status: NEMBA
Category 1b; a problem
in KwaZulu-Natal and
the Eastern Cape. - Source: Invasive Species South
Africa.Visitinvasives.org.za.▪FW
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