Lake cleared of invasive hyacinth

THE lake at Durban Botanic Gardens is now virtually clear of the invasive Water Lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) weed that had spread across the water earlier this year.

The issue was brought to Berea Mail’s attention in April, when a visitor expressed concern that the lake was covered with the plant which causes the death of fish and other life in the lake because is sucks out all the oxygen in the water.

At the time, Curator of the Gardens, Martin Clement, said a project was being undertaken to remove the plant from the lake.

This week he reported the good news that the lake at the Gardens was almost totally clear of water lettuce, thanks to the good effort by Gardens Horticulturist, Sipho Mhlongo and his team, together with support from the Durban Botanic Gardens Trust.

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Clement said the management of invasive water lettuce was an ongoing challenge for staff at the Durban Botanic Gardens as it is an incredibly difficult plant to eradicate completely given its ability to reproduce exponentially from smaller sections of the mother plant which become easily lodged in the vegetated edge of the lake.

Staff had tried various methods to control water lettuce in the lake but had to resort to mechanical removal as the most effective means of keeping the plant under control. He said the summer months generally prove to be a major challenge given the higher temperatures.

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“The cooler temperatures do help suppress the growth somewhat, however we will monitor the growth of the weed now that we have it under control,” he said.

Clement appealed to the public should they be able to assist the Gardens in a voluntary capacity, to contact him on martin.clement@durban.gov.za.

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