Random Questions

Since starting this blog, I occasionally get asked by friends to identify various plants, weeds, bugs, and such. I have managed to teach most of them that if they send me a photo, then I have a better idea what they are on about. This one showed up in my news feed. It is such a fantastic photo to do identification from and Ive had great fun and a challenge researching this plant to give her an answer for what it is. So I thought I would share my friend Lynda's photos with you all.

The photo was taken while on a bush walk, up in the hills East of Perth in Kalamunda. This is actually a bushland weed called, Narrow Leaf Cotton Bush. It was grown as a garden plant for its interesting fruits and escaped into the bush. It originates from Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and the Mediterranean and has spread over most of Australia, more common in the South West of WA and around Sydney along the East Coast of Australia. It most commonly spreads by its fluffy silky seeds on the wind, but it also grows from a crown so it will send up suckers if the roots are disturbed.  The best method of control is to pull it up, and try to get as much of the roots and crown as possible. You can spray it with Glyphosate, but as it grows about 1-2m in height, you will need to slash it down to a few centimeters then apply the poison. It is best to slash and spray in the winter, before the plant starts setting seed in the August-October. You may have to repeat these applications several times for the eradication of this weed is successful.

Interesting to note that the Narrow Leaf Cotton Bush is toxic to both humans and livestock, however the caterpillars of the Wanderer Butterfly love this plant. They absorb the toxins in the plant and use them to make themselves toxic to predators. Unfortunately they are not a suitable control method for this weed.