Hesperantha

About this weed

Another South African bulb that was introduced as a garden plant but has become a problem in bushland both on the Darling Scarp and the Swan Coastal Plain. The tall flower spikes often have only a couple of flowers fully open at any time. A characteristic of the white petals is that they are a reddish-brown colour on the underside. The flowers usually open in the late afternoon and close by morning.

Description

This attractive weed is another garden escapee growing to a height of 0.45 m high. It produces numerous simple white flowers on spikes. The corm is annually renewed and the plant also sets seed. The seedbank can last up to 5 years and it will generally survive fire.

Impact on Bushland

If left will spread over bushland and impact on ecological processes and plant communities. It can be abundant in places but does not usually dominate the vegetation.

Location

Found at various sites across the Swan Coastal Plain and Darling Range near Perth. It prefers grey sand or loam and is usually found in wet sites, on roadsides and on vacant land.

Priority for removal

High: may become a threat to conservation values anywhere it has taken hold.

Management (hand)

Not available.

Management (herbicide)

Spot spray metsulfuron methyl 0.2 g/15 L + Pulse® or 2.5-5 g/ha + Pulse®. Apply just on flowering at corm exhaustion. Read the manufacturers’ labels and material safety data sheets before using herbicides. Optimal months for spraying are August and September when the corm is almost exhausted.

Flowering month/s

August, September, October

Flower colour/s

Red, White

Information source

https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/1526

Additional information

https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/weeds/swanweeds/

Hussey, B.M.J., Keighery, G.J., Dodd, J., Lloyd, S.G. and Cousens, R.D. (2007) Western weeds. A guide to the weeds of Western Australia, Second Edition, The Weeds Society of Western Australia, Victoria Park, Western Australia.

Hesperantha images