Download Article 43 Chandelier plant - Botanical Society of South Africa

Weeds in our Area (Part Forty Three)
By Bob and Ena McIntyre – Garden Route Branch.
Chandelier plant (Bryophyllum delagoense)
The Chandelier plant (Bryophyllum delagoense) was introduced to South Africa from Madagascar
as an ornamental garden plant. With its succulent structure and very pretty orange-red flowers,
during mid-winter it was widely used in rockeries. Like so many others it has since escaped from
the garden environment and is now listed as a Category One invader weed to be removed and
destroyed.
Impacts: The plant invades hot, dry rocky areas and urban open space. While not yet a very
serious threat in our area - isolated patches have established themselves in barren areas in road
reserves along Waterside Rd and Tenth Ave. Bryophyllum delagoense reproduces rapidly from
vegetative offsets that form at the leaf tips as well as from seed. The plant is also considered to be
poisonous.
Identification: An erect perennial,
hairless, succulent herb or shrublet.
Leaves have a cylindrical shape and are
grey-green mottled with darker green to
reddish spots. The apex of the leaf has 2
to 9 small teeth producing plantlets in
their axils. The flowers are tubular 3040mm long, pendant, pale orange to
deep magenta in broad terminal clusters
up to 150 mm wide (June-July).
Control: Biological control agents are
under investigation. No herbicide is
registered at this stage therefore the only
effective control is hand-weeding.
Remove and destroy the entire plant, do
not place with the rest of your garden
refuse as you will only be transferring the
problem to another area. Bear in mind
that the plant easily reproduces vegetatively.
Indigenous Alternatives: Any of the indigenous Cotyledon or Kalanchoe species make excellent
substitutes.
Line drawing with acknowledgements to “ALIEN WEEDS AND INVASIVE PLANTS” by Lesley
Henderson. Copyright © 2001 Agricultural Research Council