Indigenous alternatives

SOUTHBROOM

KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

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INDIGENOUS ALTERNATIVES

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More and more nurserymen are realising the value of indigenous plants over exotics and most of them are able to make good suggestions and source the material.

Maureen Holmes at Froggy Pond and Pat Millar at Rocky Glen, both in Uvongo, are particularly good in this way. Indigi flora, a small nursery in Munster is run by husband and wife team Simon and Audrey Woodley, who propagate all their own plants.

FEATURE ALIENS

Sword Fern (Nephrolepsis exaltata)

Found in most South African gardens and even sprouts out of the tops of Llala Palms! It is very difficult to eradicate due to its root structure and its resistance to known herbicides.

Sword Fern originates from North and Central America and West Indies. Replace it with Creeping Dune Fern (Microsorium scolopendrium); Giant Forest Fern (Nephrolepsis biserrata); or Leather Fern (Rumohra adiantiformis).

Wild Canna or Indian Shot (Canna indica)

Originates from Central and South America, and West Indies. It is a category 1 invader i.e. a weed which may not be grown and must be controlled.

Replace it with African Gladiolus (Gladiolus dalenii); Red Hot Pokers (Kniphofia spp.); or White Arum Lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica).

Morning Glory (Ipomoea indica)

is also a category 1 invader. It possibly originated from West Indies and is currently in full flower in Southbroom.

Replace it with Ipomoea albivenia (Climbing Kapok); Ipomoea ficifolia (Fig-leaved Ipomoea); or Ipomoea mauritiana (Large Forest Ipomoea).

Suggestions taken from "BEAUTIFUL BUT DANGEROUS - Invasive alien plants with some indigenous alternatives"
INVASIVE ALIEN	INDIGENOUS ALTERNATIVE
Moon flower and Morning Glory	Climbing Kapok, Fig-leaved Ipomoea, Large Forest Ipomoea
Wild canna or Indian shot	Falling stars, African Gladiolus, Red Hot Pokers, White Arum lily
Yellow or Orange Cestrum	Bush Neat's Foot, Wild Pomegranate, Poison Olive, September Bush
Pampas Grass	Turpentine Grasses, East-Coast Broom Grass
Red Ginger Lily	Moore's Lily, Large-leaved Dragon Tree, Wild Ginger
Cat's Claw Creeper	Canary Creeper
Crofton Weed	Bush Violet, Small Blue Barleria, False Buckwheat
Yellow Bells and Yellow Oleander	Natal Plane, Weeping wattle, Cheesewood
Sword Fern	Creeping Dune Fern, Giant Forest Fern, Leather Fern