Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Monday - March 26, 2007
From: PACIFICA, CA
Region: California
Topic: Invasive Plants
Title: Control of Acacia escaping cultivation in California
Answered by: Damon Waitt
QUESTION:
My backyard has been overrun by acacia shrubs. How and what can I do to permanently rid the area of this weed? I hold an agricultural QAL so I have access to herbicides if there are effective ones available beyond RoundUp. I feel the area will need to be power sprayed and naturally I'm concerned about drift so if there is an alternative (like goats?), I'd like to know about it. Thanks in advance for your assistance.ANSWER:
There are at least 11 Acacia species that occasionally escape cultivation in California. The California Invasive Plant Council has three species of Acacia in its Cal-IPC Invasive Plant Inventory; Acacia dealbata (silver wattle), Acacia melanoxylon (black acacia), and Acacia paradoxa (kangaroothorn). In a backyard situation, Mr. Smarty Plants reccommends using mechanical rather than chemical control. Cut stems just below ground level and hand-pull seedlings before roots are well established. Be aware that cut trees appear resistant to most chemical treatments and often develop new shoots from the crown and possibly roots. Chemicals are most effective during the growing season. Regarding Biological Control (i.e. goats), Mr. Smarty Plants could only find some information about sheep and insects used to control Acacia in Australia. Click here to learn more.More Invasive Plants Questions
Eliminating bamboo in Austin
December 07, 2009 - Everyone should be warned about bamboo and how invasive it is. My neighbor planted it in his back yard and it's now taking over my back yard and all the surrounding yards. He installed a barrier but ...
view the full question and answer
Eliminating gift plant from flowerbed
June 20, 2010 - A neighbor gave me cuttings of a lush green plant with a blue flower with a yellow center that is only open in morning. It has become very invasive. I cut it back and dug at least 6-12" deep to get t...
view the full question and answer
Privacy plantings to replace invasive bamboo
June 22, 2007 - We are looking for good screening plants for our new house (the houses are very close). We like the way bamboo looks it is tall and narrow for the most part, but we do not want bamboo since it is inv...
view the full question and answer
Grass for Seattle Arboretum
May 20, 2012 - I am writing to you on behalf of the Arboretum at South Seattle Community College Arboretum. I am interested in Panicum virgatum Switch Grass as a plant for a very heavy clay garden in our Arboretum a...
view the full question and answer
Non-native mimosa failing to bloom in Leitchfield KY
October 29, 2011 - I have a medium size mimosa tree here in KY that usually blooms beautifully; it did not bloom at all this year. It leafed out well, needs a few dead limbs pruned, but seems otherwise healthy. Please t...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |