Eumundi Voice - Issue 100, 22 August 2024

Weeds and wild places

Wild places on the Sunshine Coast are home to diverse ecosystems that have evolved over millions of years. Places such as coastal heathlands, rainforests, open eucalypt forests and freshwater wetlands and waterways are sensitive to introduced plants that can quickly take over and smother natives.

While introduced plants are valuable as ornamental, medicinal and food plants, we all have responsibility to contain our plants to our gardens where we can manage them, so they don’t impact our wild places. Some plants can be difficult to contain because they are spread by birds, wind or water. The best way to stop plants from spreading is to remove them from your garden where possible.

Some examples of these plants are: Singapore daisy (Sphagneticola trilobata); creeping inch plant (Callisia repens); Dyschoriste (Dyschoriste depressa); coastal morning glory (Ipomoea cairica); blue morning glory (Ipomoea indica); Ochna (Ochna serrulata); Duranta (Duranta erecta); broad-leaved pepper trees (Schinus terebinthifolius) and camphor laurel (Cinnamomum camphora).

Visit the SCC website for help and information on managing these species. Finally, check out your local native nursery for some fantastic wild plants to fill the gaps in your garden.

Rhea Phelan – Pest Plant Officer, Sunshine Coast Council

Coastal morning glory (Credit: Biosecurity Qld)