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Watch Out For Cape Tulip

Now is the time for landowners and land managers to look for and undertake control of one -leaf cape tulip.

By Department of Primary Industries - 20th October 2004 - Back to News

All parts of this noxious weed, whether green or dry, are poisonous to stock. All types of grazing animals are affected but generally cattle are more susceptible than sheep or horses.

Known infestations are on both private and public land in the Bengworden, Bruthen, Raymond Island and Flaggy Creek areas and on roadsides at Cann River and Murrungowar.

One - leaf cape tulip is an erect perennial herb with stiff stems and usually only one leaf per plant which is flat, ribbed about 1-2 cm wide and up to 1 metre long. The flowers are orange or salmon pink with a yellow patch in the throat and form in small clusters at the ends of the branches. Each flower has 6 petals.

Seeds and corms germinate after the autumn rains. Flowering stems are produced in the late winter, flowers are formed in September and October with seeding shortly afterwards. The aerial growth dies by November and becomes detached from the corm.

Plants are 2 or 3 years old before they flower and produce seeds. Therefore any established infestation of one - leaf cape tulip consists of plants of varying maturity, from non - flowering seedlings and plants 1or 2 years old to flowering plants 2 or 3 years old.

The corms have a period of dormancy and, in addition, soil temperature and moisture determine the proportion which germinate in any season. Up to 60% of corms may remain dormant through a whole growing season.

Control methods include cultivation and chemical application. Cultivation is only effective if it is carried out at the "corm transitional stage" and the window of opportunity for this method is usually about 2 weeks sometime in June or July. To be effective cultivation must be successfully undertaken for at least 4 years to exhaust the supply of dormant corms in the soil. Chemical control may also give variable results. Chemicals registered for use on one -leaf cape tulip are usually applied just before flowing or when the plants begin to flower. This normally occurs in September – October in East Gippsland. Spraying may need to continue for several years before a noticeable reduction in plants is observed.

For further information please contact your local Catchment Management Officer or the Department of Primary Industries, Calvert Street Bairnsdale, telephone 51 520600

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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