Why so called 'R. x superponticum' is invalid taxonomy and has no scientific basis.
Kenneth Cox, Glendoick Gardens, Perth, Scotland.
Rhododendron ponticum: a problem plant, ill-served by misinformation and ignorance.
Rhododendron ponticum, a mauve-flowered European native rhododendron, was introduced to the British Isles in the 18th century and planted widely as a colourful evergreen. It is now an out of control weed in western parts of the UK and is on the verge of being proscribed in both National and EC-wide Legislation so that it can no longer be sold or planted. I support this ban being applied in the UK as this plant is clearly out of control in some areas and in addition, R. ponticum is a vector for the spread of Phytophthora ramorum into forestry plantations.
I've seen mind- your- own- business for sale in garden centres. Also I often see that people are willing to pay for invasive
plants like vinca. I spend many ' happy' hours digging the damned stuff out!
A friend of the family gave us some clumps of mind-your-own-business when we were new to gardening. He said it would be great for my stone walls. Luckily it's a bit tender for the climate here so gets regularly knocked back and kept in check.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
It does amuse me that people blame the Victorians, every nation that ever made their way here brought plants with them from the Phoenicians in Cornwall the Anglo Saxons Romans Normans even William of Orange and his Queen, we are awash with plants that did not start life here mainly because the UK was woodland and brush until the first stone age farmers began to slash and burn, and where did the grain come from for them to sow? The East. Tulips Roses and many more that were coming here and being Hybridised long before Victoria and her plant hunters arrived. We have wonderful Moorland on our doorstep and people say it should be preserved, from when, it was all woodland at one time in the past, do we rehouse the sheep and replant all the trees and scrub. i do local History and the people who want everything that was once there put back cannot realise it is all only 190 years old, they have no idea that the High Street was once all town houses that turned into Emporiums and are now going back. Twenty years on it will be as it once was only more modern, like running water sewage and electricity most of which is only 118 years old in our area. Think it out, BUT anyone who says the potato should go back where it came from have me to deal with, i love buttery mash. Frank.
I naively think we're supposed to have advanced a bit from the Romans and Normans, though I admit not in all parts of the country. If you know that something is invasive and damaging you don't just sit by and watch it happen, let alone add to the problem. I strongly suggest you don't go to Queensland and open a Cane Toad farm or visit the Albatross colonies in New Zealand with your off-lead rat, while explaining to the locals "don't worry about it, you should have seen what the last lot did".
And no-one was blaming the Victorians, we were simply pointing out that that was when exotic plants were brought into the UK as garden exhibits as opposed to being for cultivation. The vast majority were not invasive or damaging, but those that are and run out of control are a problem. Japanese Knotweed is not an inheritance from our glorious multi-cultural past (introduced in the 1840s by the way*).
*The late 19th century was a big time for Japanese knotweed: lots of
gardeners encouraged its purchase, and one Mr John Wood of Kirsktall
called it "a capital plant for the small town garden".
“Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.” Winston Churchill
I on the other hand naively think that every plant has its place and is there for a reason, unfortunately if a misuse can be found for anything there are those who will find it, tobacco opium poppy mushrooms and well known ferns all misused. Even my potato's come in for blame, they are making a nation of obese children, no the parents are making them obese. Remember garden make overs years back when a famous gardener introduced bamboo, having seen it grow i said people will regret that and they did, many questions on here are asking how to eradicate it. When plant hunters brought plants here they had no idea what they would do outside their own environment where they would have natural predators. I am afraid we interfere with the natural way of things to our cost. The last report I saw on Knotweed was it cannot be killed by even the harshest weed killer. Frank.
I on the other hand naively think that every plant has its place and is there for a reason, unfortunately if a misuse can be found for anything there are those who will find it, tobacco opium poppy mushrooms and well known ferns all misused. Even my potato's come in for blame, they are making a nation of obese children, no the parents are making them obese. Remember garden make overs years back when a famous gardener introduced bamboo, having seen it grow i said people will regret that and they did, many questions on here are asking how to eradicate it. When plant hunters brought plants here they had no idea what they would do outside their own environment where they would have natural predators. I am afraid we interfere with the natural way of things to our cost. The last report I saw on Knotweed was it cannot be killed by even the harshest weed killer. FrankPalaisglide said:
I'm certainly not blaming the Victorian plant hunters and appreciate they didn't know what would happen with some of the things they brought back. It's seems a really interesting subject as I read more about them. A surprising number of those plant hunters seem to have met quite grizzly ends during their travels.
I'm with you on the potatoes though Frank, if any one makes a move on mine they're in trouble.
“Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.” Winston Churchill
It was ponticum, I was referring to Paul. It's a real menace. It also got used for grafting other rhodies onto - in the same way we have roses/apple trees etc in order to have them growing like the clappers, or growing less vigorously, depending on what the plant is. I was in Glen Etive today - it's a very long glen, and the damn stuff is everywhere, despite all the efforts to keep on top of it.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Posts
Rhododendron ponticum
Why so called 'R. x superponticum' is invalid taxonomy and has no scientific basis.
Kenneth Cox, Glendoick Gardens, Perth, Scotland.
Rhododendron ponticum: a problem plant, ill-served by misinformation and ignorance.
Rhododendron ponticum, a mauve-flowered European native rhododendron, was introduced to the British Isles in the 18th century and planted widely as a colourful evergreen. It is now an out of control weed in western parts of the UK and is on the verge of being proscribed in both National and EC-wide Legislation so that it can no longer be sold or planted. I support this ban being applied in the UK as this plant is clearly out of control in some areas and in addition, R. ponticum is a vector for the spread of Phytophthora ramorum into forestry plantations.
Tulips Roses and many more that were coming here and being Hybridised long before Victoria and her plant hunters arrived. We have wonderful Moorland on our doorstep and people say it should be preserved, from when, it was all woodland at one time in the past, do we rehouse the sheep and replant all the trees and scrub.
i do local History and the people who want everything that was once there put back cannot realise it is all only 190 years old, they have no idea that the High Street was once all town houses that turned into Emporiums and are now going back. Twenty years on it will be as it once was only more modern, like running water sewage and electricity most of which is only 118 years old in our area.
Think it out, BUT anyone who says the potato should go back where it came from have me to deal with, i love buttery mash.
Frank.
Remember garden make overs years back when a famous gardener introduced bamboo, having seen it grow i said people will regret that and they did, many questions on here are asking how to eradicate it.
When plant hunters brought plants here they had no idea what they would do outside their own environment where they would have natural predators. I am afraid we interfere with the natural way of things to our cost. The last report I saw on Knotweed was it cannot be killed by even the harshest weed killer.
Frank.
I was in Glen Etive today - it's a very long glen, and the damn stuff is everywhere, despite all the efforts to keep on top of it.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...