Weed police to combat SA 'aliens'

Weed inspectors have been appointed in South Africa's capital, Pretoria, to ensure that alien plants do not take over the city's gardens.

The South American native jacaranda is finding itself less than welcome in South Africa.

The city's trademark purple jacaranda trees may no longer be cultivated, though existing trees can remain.

Offenders can face fines of up to 5,000 rand ($900) if they do not remove the plants on request.

Jacaranda trees cover Pretoria in purple blossom each spring but the plant is originally from South America.

So, it is on a list of "plants that have the potential of becoming invasive but are considered to have ornamental value".

Water resources

"If you have a large jacaranda it can stay - but you may not plant new ones, and if jacaranda seeds have fallen and sprouted in the garden, you must remove them," said Hannes Oelofse, head of the weed control team for eastern Pretoria.

The council is less tolerant of category one weeds, defined as "plants that must be controlled (removed) on land or water surfaces by all land users".

Mr Oelofse said that the most pervasive category one weed was the yellow bell, for which seeds could be bought in nurseries as recently as 2001.

The City of Tshwane Council - the capital's local authority - is advising residents that "invasive alien plants threaten the indigenous vegetation as they use up valuable and limited water resources".

The council says that most of the aliens drink more water than indigenous plants, and are depleting valuable underground water.

Residents are being advised to choose indigenous plant species for their gardens.

Story from BBC NEWS.