Himalayan Balsam taking over our countryside.

[**tigerlilly**]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2017/06/27/himalayan-balsam-now-widespread-needs-tackling/

Walking out with the dog this morning I noticed it everywhere.

It is actually doing what was predicted and taking over, not only is it clogging up our waterways but it is now taking over the country side, waste ground hedgerows and beauty spots. The article states that the public should play it's part and if they spot it on their travels to stop and pull it up.

When my father was alive the house and land that we owned and lived in was surrounded by a river, the river bank was covered in the plant and my father spent hours and hours ever summer cutting it down, "doing his bit" this must have been 15 odd years ago.

While walking out today, I could spot it everywhere, around the lake and the river, and along the hedgerow and path on my route.

Should it be the public's responsibility?  shouldn't it be individual Councils that deal with the problem?

I know it is a huge problem only going to get worse if it isn't addressed, I can vouch for the fact it could because where I can see it this year there was hardly any of it last year. I wouldn't mind going and doing my bit and pulling it up when I see it but I really think it is going to take a lot more work than just relying on the odd responsible rambler.

What are your thoughts?

[fallen-archie]

I think we have a collective responsibility for invasive species, Japanese Knotweed is another curse and Rhododendron ponticum ruins the natural habitat of many species despite the fact it's flowers are pretty. The of course there is bindweed which is related to the nasturtium but is a real problem to get rid of! I would like to see all of these eliminated and a return to decent hedgerows properly layered and flail hedge cutters banned. We have many native species which are being destroyed by these imported plants, likewise animals like grey squirrels, mink also need to be dealt with if we are to retain the balanced eco culture we need.

[jd.linklater]

I agree Himalayan Balsam is a countrywide problem, one of the top four invasive plant species that need more or less permanent atention to keep on top of their spread. The others are Japanese Knotweed, Giant Hogweed and Rhododendrons. All of these were introduced here in the early 19th century and have been spreading out of control ever since they were first planted. Plant collecting in that time was a very profitable business usually undertaken by enthusiastic amateurs. Unfortunately very few of them were accomplished botanists and we've been paying the price for their mistakes ever since.

Himalayan Balsam is  particularly virulent  because of the number of seeds it produces (around 800 per flower) . The pods explode when they are ripe and seeds can be fired 20ft away. As most of them originally colonised waterways, it's easy to see how the seeds get carried downstream and spread far and wide. The plants themselves crowd out native waterside plants which wildlife use to over winter and which insects use for pollination so the long term effect is the loss of further species along the waterways. They are now growing in grass verges along roadsides where they are spread even further by walkers and drivers. The only saving grace is that bees flock to it and I've read that Himalayan Balsam Honey is particularly delicious, but of course the bees in turn are not pollinating as many of our native plants so they will be lost even further.

Out of the four worst offenders, Balsam is probably the easiest to dispose of but it needs wholesale management to control it successfully. As it's an annual there is no need to dig it up but the flower heads and stems need cutting off before they have chance to go to seed. As you say anyone can do this wherever it is seen growing but it is a very labour intensive and time consuming process  to do in large areas which is why councils rarely have the resources to deal with it.

[logbox]

https://www.invasiveweedsolutions.co.uk/invasive-weeds/non-native

This web site offers advice.

[theelench]

Part of the problem is without doubt the irresponsible attitude of some garden centers / nurseries.  We already have serious problems with Himalayan Balsam and some other invaders but there are other plants which will add to the list.  Plant importers in the 19th century might have had the excuse that they didn't understand the implications of their actions.

That's not true today but plant sellers can still sell more or less anything.  Where I live there are problems developing with several plants that were being sold recently or are still on sale.

Russian vine can still be bought locally.  It has taken over a railway embankment for at least a mile around one of the gardens I work in.  It's over six feet high and looking through the fence absolutely nothing grows underneath it.  Every garden that backs onto the embankment is struggling to keep it out.

Three Cornered Garlic will take over any garden it is planted in.  I'm struggling to control it in two of them.  It was bought in an Ornamental Onion collection a few years ago.

A type of "Ornamental" grass was (and probably still is) being sold.  It' looks beautifull with dark green arching leaves and four foot high drooping seed heads.  What is not revealed to people buying it is that it seeds prolificly, has roots more vigorus, more invasive and more persistant than Couch Grass.  A massive clump of it is destroying the paved area at a local pub.  Another garden I work in has been invaded by it from next door.   It has spread by seed from a house along the road and I can now see mature plants with seed heads in most of the other gardens in that road.

It's not just the public that has to act responsibly.  Plant sellers must stop looking for easily propogated plants to sell for a quick profit and act responsibly as well or the situation will only get worse.