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Articles Pindan Post 90 Pindan Post No 90688 words The fabulous wet start to the current season not only provides a welcome boost to our native flora after several dry months, but starts a very rapid growth spurt of some awful weeds that are difficult to stop spreading. Several introduced vines create havoc to indigenous vegetation by completely smothering the area, including mature trees, and eventually most of these die due to loss of light. There are many examples of this happening around Broome and the Kimberley. Around the waste water treatment plant, near Demco and through to the Golf Club, behind the Industrial area and Power Station, along Gubinge Road as well as Broome Road, particularly when associated with drains, these insidious vines destroy all local flora once they get a hold. These vines include Merremia, Siratro and to a lesser extent, Wild Passionfruit. The first vine mentioned is easily identified by its strongly lobed leaves, white to creamy-pink flowers, similar to the native hibiscus with a dark red centre and a rampant climbing habit. It is commonly seen on fencelines and nature strips all over town when neglected, and is starting to spread further near the Demco Estate, also around Industrial blocks and the Golf Club. Siratro is also found in these same areas, and is particularly bad along Gubinge Road near drains and on the approaches to Broome near Blue Haze. This vine has trifoliate leaves, purple to black pea flowers and 100mm or so long, narrow seed pods. The Wild Passionfruit also is found in all the usual suspect areas as well as spread much further into woodland and is even found in quite remote regions of the Kimberley. This vine has pale lime-green leaves, large passion-fruit flowers and fruits like gooseberries that are too easily spread by birds. Merremia and Passionfruit can easily be killed by tracing the vine to its roots and pulling up at this time of year. Siratro, however grows a very long taproot and will not easily pull out. Smothering with 30 or more centimeters of mulch can stop it in its tracks in gardens, but otherwise little can be done except spraying with Glyphosate (Roundup, Zero). The best time of year to tackle these weeds is during the earlier part of the wet, before they have a chance to set seed or the ground dries out. The Minyirr Park Coastal region is about to be attacked for weeds by Micklo Corpus, Franz Hoogland and their crews of Park Rangers, trainees, Work For Dole participants and volunteers, with some funding and support from Coastcare, Rangelands and the local Council. This work will only be able to slow the spread of these weeds if the rest of us do nothing. Property owners who adjoin Crown Land or Council Property really need to take responsibility for cleaning up the weeds adjacent to their properties before things get out of hand. These vines usually appear anywhere that soil has been disturbed by machines such as roads, drains, fencelines, firebreaks and quarries. A number of private property owners already look after bush near them and it is entirely appropriate that we all follow suit. Many other weedy herbs, shrubs and trees will also be targeted later in the season, but the vines needs controlling and are easier controlled now. Outside the weed infested areas of the Broome Peninsular, the native vegetation is looking much rejuvenated and several species were seen flowering over the holiday period. The Broome Bloodwood is still flowering spasmodically, with its clusters of large white flowers standing out. The rarer Native Ixora with its terminal clusters of white flowers stands out if you are lucky enough to find them. Around the sandstone rocks of the Willie Creek area, these can be seen as 2 to 3 metre shrubs, and in local woodland you may come across a small tree to 4 or 5 metres. They are found along Coastal Creeks and streams and in sand behind the dunes. Many ground covers and herbs are also starting to flower, it is a fascinating place to visit and check out the changes after a long dry season. 25/01 |
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