Friday, March 9, 2018

Correct way to remove Taiwan Lily pest weed

Taiwan Lily Removal at Rogers Reserve, Highfields.

Taiwan Lily Removal at Rogers Reserve, Highfields.

During Clean Up Australia Day 2018, Judi discovered a Taiwan Lily in flower at the Rogers Reserve.  This is the first time that this environmental weed has been found within the bushland reserve and correct removal of this fast spreading plant was imperative.

Greg was on hand to show and demonstrate the correct way to remove all of the plant including the bulbs at the bottom of the roots. 


More information on the Taiwan Lily and how to remove it here:


Common name: Taiwan lily, Formosa lily 
Botanic name: Lilium formosanum
The species name formosanum is Latin, meaning ‘from Formosa’. The island of Formosa is now Taiwan.

Description: A bulbous plant with upright, straight, flowering stems 1-1.8m (up to 6′) tall in summer. Clusters of 1-3 lightly scented, trumpet-shaped flowers are borne at the top of each stem. The flowers are white with a pale yellow throat, and some have pink staining on the outside of the petals or when in the bud.

Problem areas: This plant has escaped from gardens and naturalized in southeast Australia from Queensland to Victoria and also on Lord Howe Island. It is usually found along roadside verges, drainage ditches, on wasteland and in bushland.
Reasons for success

The Taiwan lily grows from seed, bulbs and fleshy leaves (called bulb scales). The plant grows from seed to flowering stage in around 6-9 months (most lilies take two years from seed until flowering). Each flower produces hundreds of seeds. As the seeds mature, the seed pods are held upright and open slowly. Seeds are released over a 4-8 week period to take advantage of good conditions. Seeds are light and travel long distances on the wind. Even a single plant dumped in bushland can become the nucleus of a new weed infestation.
Control

Hand weeding. This is the best option for home gardeners. Cut down the flowering stem before the plant sets seed. Remove the bulb, taking care not to leave any bulb scales in ground. You may have to remove some of the surrounding soil to catch small bulblets that break away from the parent plant.

Note: don’t just pull the plant up. The bulb is quite deep in the soil and all you’ll get is the stem with some roots (called stem roots).


INFORMATION SOURCE: https://www.burkesbackyard.com.au/fact-sheets/in-the-garden/weeds-and-garden-pests/taiwan-lily/

Taiwan Lily Removal at Rogers Reserve, Highfields.

Taiwan Lily Removal at Rogers Reserve, Highfields - it is important to use a shovel to remove all of the bulb roots.

Taiwan Lily Removal at Rogers Reserve, Highfields - showing the bulb roots of the Taiwan Lily Weed.

Taiwan Lily Removal at Rogers Reserve, Highfields - Ensure the whole plant and roots and bulbs are disposed of in a refuse bin, do not place them on the ground  as they will regenerate. 

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