When was the privet introduced to australia

This is an ongoing task. A better long term strategy is to remove it and replace it with a more desirable species, and there are many alternatives. Privet can be controlled by cutting the plant and painting the freshly cut surface with herbicide such as neat glyphosate e. This is best done whilst the plant is actively growing. For helpwithweedidentificationormanagement pleaseringuson orcallintoourofficeatRusdenStArmidale. Events News Projects.

Add attribute Show information from supporting collections: On Off. View all images. Yes No. Alternative caption. Edit Delete. Add Image. Add new link. Title: Title. Description: Description. European privet is a deciduous or semi-deciduous shrub. Used as a garden plant, it now has extensive environmental, agricultural and human health impacts. This plant should not be sold in parts of NSW. Privets are considered to be serious environmental weeds throughout Australia.

Infestations threaten biodiversity, including endangered plant and animal species and ecological communities. Dense stands of privet prevent other vegetation surviving or establishing. European privet invades grassy woodlands and riparian vegetation. It is reported that privet pollen causes allergic reactions and hay fever. It is unlikely that the pollen of privet is strongly allergenic; however, cross-reactivity can occur where people who are sensitive to grass pollen can become sensitive to privet, producing allergic reactions.

It is thought that the perfume of privet flowers causes these reactions, not the pollen. Reactions occur commonly during spring and early summer when privets produce masses of flowers and pollen. These include allergy-like symptoms such as asthma and irritation of mucous membranes. In one extreme case, hospitalisation resulting in near death occurred after the patient was exposed to privet.

Privet berries and leaves have been reported by overseas sources to be poisonous to humans and livestock if ingested; however, no known cases of poisoning have occurred in Australia. Privets invade native and plantation forest industries, orchards and pastures in Australia. Costs of control are high and yields are reduced by the presence of privet in these production systems. European privet is a deciduous or semi-deciduous multi-stemmed shrub or small tree growing 3—5 m.

Stems are erect, with smooth grey—brown bark. Young branchlets are covered in fine hairs. Older branchlets have white lenticels.

Narrow, hairless leaves are 2—6 cm long and 0. Leaf tips are pointed while the leaf base is wedge-shaped. Upper and lower leaf surfaces are dark, shiny green. The white or cream tubular flowers are strongly scented, have white anthers and are 3—4 mm long. Berries are 3—10 mm long and 5—8 mm in diameter and are shiny black to blue—black when ripe. Some varieties of this species are known to have green, white or yellow berries when ripe. Each berry usually contains 2 long flat seeds 4—5 mm long there can be up to 4 seeds per berry.

European privet is native to southern Europe and northern Africa. It was introduced to Australia as ornamental or hedging species and is now problematic west of the dividing range in NSW. It has become naturalised in the Yetman area, in the Guyra—Armidale district near Robertson and in the vicinity of the Yarrongobilly Caves.

Privet seeds are commonly spread by fruit-eating birds. Birds such as pied currawongs, silver-eyes and rosellas can spread the seed widely into previously uninfested areas. Privet seedlings often germinate in clusters, as a result of birds regurgitating the seeds. Birds and rabbits assist germination by removal of the soft coating around the seed. Privets are also spread through the sale of garden plants from nurseries and markets, the dumping of garden waste containing seeds and the sale of foliage in floral arrangements containing fruit and seeds.