This plant called Himalayan balsam is
a very attractive plant but it is also a problematic plant, most especially in
the British Isles. Himalayan balsam plant comes from Asia, although it has actually
spread into other habitats where it has push out other native plants and cause serious
havoc on the environment.
Furthermore, the Himalayan balsam
plants are actually native to Asia. According to history in the early 19th
century, the plant were brought to the British Isles to be planted in most gardens,
and not quite long they escaped into the wild, where they began to cause a
number of serious problems. Himalayan balsam plant is attracted to damp areas
like river banks, where they really grow in clusters that can reach ten feet (3
m.) in height.
The plant was able to shade out other shorter native plants
because of its height. This plant is an annual and it can dies back in the
winter, thereby leaving bare spaces that would normally be inhabited by native
grasses. Himalayan balsam plants are also a vigorous producer of nectar that
draws pollinators away from native plants, thereby putting their pollination
and reproduction in jeopardy.
Steps on how to control Himalayan balsam
plants
How to control this plant is a 2 part
endeavor – either by removing the existing plants and preventing the spread of the
seed. This plant is like other balsam flower that reproduces by seed, and the
plant will put out up to eight hundred of them every year. These seeds can really
travel a short distance through the air or miles and miles most especially if they
get caught up in a river or stream. It is very important to time your Himalayan
balsam plant control so you don’t inadvertently spread more seeds. One of the best
time is early to mid-summer before the seeds mature. One of the most effective
methods of controlling Himalayan balsam plant is cutting and hand pulling. And
again herbicides also work but only as a last resort.
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