Invasive crayfish, wow! It's amazing what species turn out to be invasive. New Zealand has send a mud snail to the USA, a flatworm to Britain and the tree that we love as our native Christmas tree to South Africa.
Melanie, I know less about the invasive species that have spread from California, where I live, and know a lot about the invasives that have invaded our state. We have about 7,500 plants species here, 1,500 of which are nonnative, many of which are invasive. We have iceplant from South Africa, mustard from Europe, and eucalypti from Australia. We only have a couple species of eucalypti, but they can completely take over a canyon. From my understanding, New Zealand has hundreds of eucalypti species. Is that true? Thanks for your comment.
Hi Paul, In New Zealand we grow dozens of Australian species of eucalypt, but to my knowledge none have become invasive. I'm not quite sure why, I suspect it's partly our damper climate and partly that their pests seem to have come across with them. I actually really love eucalypts, it's one of my life goals to travel around Australia and see all of the approximately 900 species of eucalypt growing in the wild.
We have the same problem as you with South African ice plant. We do have radiata pine invasive in a few places, but its also our most important forestry tree, so I won't complain. I'm pretty sure that we have some Californian species that are a problem here, although I can't remember them off the top of my head.
Melanie, yes, I really like eucalypti, too! I suspect that the reason they can be invasive here is that we have few of their pests, although I've read that every year at least one eucalypti pest gets introduced here. Did you know that one of the species is the largest flowering plant in the world?
My best friend from childhood lives in eastern Australia. We're planning a visit in the next few years, and I want to see the different species as well.
I've worked at removing invasives and participated in a few rare plant surveys here. I've also researched methods of removing invasives, even got my work presented at an ecology conference. I enjoy doing this sort of thing, although it is daunting.
Thanks for your comments. I look forward to the next Turnstone.
Invasive crayfish, wow! It's amazing what species turn out to be invasive. New Zealand has send a mud snail to the USA, a flatworm to Britain and the tree that we love as our native Christmas tree to South Africa.
Melanie, I know less about the invasive species that have spread from California, where I live, and know a lot about the invasives that have invaded our state. We have about 7,500 plants species here, 1,500 of which are nonnative, many of which are invasive. We have iceplant from South Africa, mustard from Europe, and eucalypti from Australia. We only have a couple species of eucalypti, but they can completely take over a canyon. From my understanding, New Zealand has hundreds of eucalypti species. Is that true? Thanks for your comment.
Hi Paul, In New Zealand we grow dozens of Australian species of eucalypt, but to my knowledge none have become invasive. I'm not quite sure why, I suspect it's partly our damper climate and partly that their pests seem to have come across with them. I actually really love eucalypts, it's one of my life goals to travel around Australia and see all of the approximately 900 species of eucalypt growing in the wild.
We have the same problem as you with South African ice plant. We do have radiata pine invasive in a few places, but its also our most important forestry tree, so I won't complain. I'm pretty sure that we have some Californian species that are a problem here, although I can't remember them off the top of my head.
Melanie, yes, I really like eucalypti, too! I suspect that the reason they can be invasive here is that we have few of their pests, although I've read that every year at least one eucalypti pest gets introduced here. Did you know that one of the species is the largest flowering plant in the world?
My best friend from childhood lives in eastern Australia. We're planning a visit in the next few years, and I want to see the different species as well.
I've worked at removing invasives and participated in a few rare plant surveys here. I've also researched methods of removing invasives, even got my work presented at an ecology conference. I enjoy doing this sort of thing, although it is daunting.
Thanks for your comments. I look forward to the next Turnstone.