Download Bulbil Watsonia Fact Sheet

Bulbil Watsonia Watsonia meriana
Declared Noxious Weed
Environmental Weed Factsheet
Origin: South Africa
Size: 0.5-2m H, 0.5-1.5m W
Best removal time: September
Flowers: September to DecemFruits: October to December
What it does…
Invades gardens, bushland and roadside areas where
slashing and maintenance help to spread the bulbils.
Tolerates full sun, moist areas, shady and windy
conditions. Takes over and displaces indigenous
grasses and groundcovers.
What it looks like…
How to remove it...
Remove by Hand: Easiest for small clumps.
Larger areas can be forked when the soil is
quite moist. Follow up is necessary to remove
all corms. Most effective just before flowering.
Dig out: Dig out patches of Watsonia. You
The leaves are rigid, straight and sword-shaped, with
a prominent mid-vein, up to 80cm long. The flower
spikes can stand up to 2m. They bear two rows of dull
orange, curved tubular flowers. The lower part of the
flower spike carries clusters of bulbils.
will need to ensure all corms are removed
and take care not to drop bulbils as the plant
is disturbed. If the soil is moist this is best
done using a garden fork. It is important to
avoid dumping the soil elsewhere.
How it spreads…
Spray with herbicide: Watsonia can be
Watsonia reproduces mainly by producing new corms
(a corm is an underground swollen stem that forms the
base of the plant) and by dropping the bulbils (inset,
left) from the flower spike.
Each bulbil then grows into a new plant. Plants die
back to the corm and reshoot each winter. Corms and
bulbils spread:
• through water,
• contaminated soil and
• dumped garden waste.
• Sale at markets and fetes. Buyer beware!
sprayed or leaves swiped with a glyphosatebased product. The most effective time is just
before full flowering which occurs in spring.
Declared Noxious Weeds...
Have the potential to spread widely and cause serious
economic loss to agriculture, or have some detrimental
effect upon people, animals, the environment or the
local community.
Indigenous alternatives to plant…
Many lily and iris alternatives exist that are indigenous to the Yarra Ranges region and would make great
substitutes for the Bulbil Watsonia. Some alternatives include:
Spiny Mat Rush,
Lomandra longifolia
Butterfly Flag,
Diplarrena moraea
How to dispose of weeds:
Using Chemicals:
By disposing of environmental weeds correctly you can
prevent re-infestation on your property and elsewhere.
Non chemical treatments is often the most effective and
safe option especially on smaller scale infestations.
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Where chemical use is undertaken:
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Landfill (Weed Wipeout Tip vouchers available for
some species).
Green waste bin ensures that weeds are not able
to spread.
Woody weed stems can be bundled for green
collection twice per annum.
Composting (excluding seed heads or species with
vegetative reproduction, e.g. Wandering Trad).
Burning in accordance with Council and the
Country Fire Authority (CFA) prescribed burning
periods and regulations.
Recovery and transfer stations available for weed
tipping are Healesville, Wesburn, Coldstream,
Lysterfield and Montrose.
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Bare ground attracts WEEDS!!!
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Always follow the manufacture’s guidelines when
using chemicals.
Wear protective clothing and eyewear
On purchasing your herbicide, always ask for a
Materials Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) or refer to
the manufacturer’s website for specific safety
guidelines and information.
Some herbicides will kill other plants and not just
the target species.
Near waterways herbicides can be very poisonous
to aquatic life.
Use chemicals sparingly and be sure that you are
using the right chemical and application technique.
Ensure the weather conditions are suitable (e.g.
minimal wind and no rain expected)
Apply herbicides at the correct time during the
plant’s growth cycle so you get the best results..
For effective long term weed control we
recommend:
• Habitat Restoration
- Encourages indigenous and native plant to regenerate
- Revegetation - replanting indigenous vegetation
• Productive land use.
• Replace with non invasive garden species.