 Description: Fire-weed is an annual to short lived perennial, erect herb that normally grows 10 to 70 cm high. The leaves are 2-7 cm long and are entire or have lobed or toothed margins. The yellow daisy-like flower heads are loosely clustered. As A Soil Indicator: low Calcium, Very low Phosphorus, High Potassium, High Manganese, High Copper, Low Humus, Compacted Soils, Anaerobic bacteria, High Salt Life cycle: Annual, biennial or short lived perennial herb. Seeds germinate at any time of the year when moisture is present with the main germination's occurring between March and June. The seedlings grow rapidly and flowering commences within 6-10 weeks and continues until mid summer. The top growth dies off in the heat of summer and the plant dies or regenerates in early autumn. The density of Fire-weed varies from year to year depending on seasonal conditions. Plants typically produce 5,000-30,000 seeds per year. It forms a persistent seed bank in the soil. Seed may remain dormant in the soil for 10 years. It is most prolific on low to medium fertility Detrimental: Difficult to control. Toxic to horses and cattle. Often causes ill thrift in other grazing stock. Toxicity: Toxic to horses, cattle and alpacas. Sheep and goats are about 20 times more tolerant than cattle because they have rumen organisms that can detoxify the toxin. However deaths have been reported. All parts of the plant at all stages are toxic. Hay, silage and grain contaminated with Fire-weed plants or seeds can also be toxic. 
1 Comment
 Description: Lantana is a perennial, evergreen, many branched, pleasant smelling, dense scrambling shrub to 2-4 m high with arched branches and young growth with small prickles and stiff hairs. Lantana is native to warm areas of both North and South America. It was introduced as an ornamental or hedge plant As A Soil Indicator: Very low Calcium, Very low Phosphorus, Very high Potassium, High Magnesium, High Manganese, Very high Iron, High Boron, Low humus in the soil, Good drainage, High Aluminum levels Life cycle: Seeds germinate at any time of the year that is warm and moist with most germinating after the first summer storms. Initial growth is slow as root systems are established. Establishment under dense infestations is usually poor. They grow for 2-3 season before flowering mainly in spring and summer. Growth is greatest in warm, wet weather and almost stops in cool weather or during dry periods. Detrimental: Serious bushland weed of eastern Australia infesting over 4 million hectares. Produces dense thickets that prevent recruitment of native species, alter soil chemistry and nutrient cycling. Potentially allelopathic. Weed of plantation crops and pastures, citrus, coconut, timber and rubber plantations. Listed a one of the "Worlds Worst Weeds" and a "Weed of National Significance" Toxicity: Toxic to stock and humans but no cases recorded for WA. Young animals and those not accustomed to the plant appear to be at greatest risk.
 Description: A sedge with brown seed heads subtended by 3-4 leaves at the top of a triangular stem with basal leaves and a creeping wiry rhizome with underground oval tubers or "nuts". As A Soil Indicator: Low Calcium, Low Phosphorus, High Potassium, High Magnesium, Very high Iron, Low humus in the soil, Compacted soils, Little biology Life cycle: Perennial grass. Seeds germinate in spring and the plant grows over summer forming rhizomes and tubers and flowers in autumn to winter. Tubers shoot in spring and extend to the surface to produce a basal bulb that produces the leaves. These grow over summer producing more tubers and rhizomes and flower in autumn to winter. Under good conditions plants may flower when they are 3-6 weeks old. Beneficial: Grazed to a limited extent by horses and cattle but of little forage value. Fragrant roots used in perfumes. Tubers are edible and were a source of food for aboriginals. Used to bind soil to prevent wind erosion. Detrimental: Can act as a host for nematodes and other insects. Not recorded as toxic
 Description: Erect, perennial shrub growing 1 to 3 m tall. Green, succulent, flattened stems with scattered warts and bright yellow flowers about 60 mm diameter in spring that form red, fleshy, edible fruit about 50 mm long. As A Soil Indicator: Low Calcium, High Potassium, High Copper, Low humus in the soil, Sandy soils, Little biology, little moisture Life cycle: Perennial. Seed germinates at any time of the year, producing a delicate bristly seedling that normally dies. After 3 years they may flower. Plants are very long lived and most new plants arise from stem segments that fall to the ground or are broken off. Drought tolerant. Beneficial: Edible fruit. Fruit used for jams and jellies. Stem segments can be candied to form a chewy sweet. Young segments can be boiled and eaten as a green vegetable. In all cases the bristles must be singed with flame then the eyes sliced out. Some people have been known to use it in herbal remedies for whooping cough and diabetes. Eaten by stock during droughts. Honey plant. Detrimental: Takes over areas excluding most other species. Sharp spines cause injury to stock especially the tongue and facial areas. The fruits are breeding grounds for fruit fly. Harbour vermin such as rabbits. Form dense impenetrable patches. Toxicity: Causes 'wooden tongue' in sheep. May cause fibre balls in the stomach. Excessive consumption of fruit may cause kidney disorders in humans.
|
Archives
December 2020
Permaculture
|
||||||||
RSS Feed