Smothering Bridal veil

News article | 14 July 2015

Weed of National Significance, Bridal veil (Asparagus declinatus) is currently being mapped by Natural Resources Eyre Peninsula (NREP) staff. Natural Resources Management Officer, Gemma Marshall said finding and mapping areas of Bridal veil helps with targeted control. “This season we’ve worked with the Australian Government funded Green Army and Port Lincoln City Council to control isolated infestations,” Ms Marshall said.

Weed of National Significance, Bridal veil (Asparagus declinatus) is currently being mapped by Natural Resources Eyre Peninsula (NR EP) staff.

Natural Resources Management Officer, Gemma Marshall said finding and mapping areas of Bridal veil helps with targeted control.

“This season we’ve worked with the Australian Government funded Green Army and Port Lincoln City Council to control isolated infestations,” Ms Marshall said.

“We’ve also put considerable effort into locating and GPS mapping Bridal veil distribution.

“Please have a look online at our map of currently known areas and if you know of a new locations contact Natural Resources Eyre Peninsula.”

Bridal veil, which originated in South Africa, is found in several patches on the Lower Eyre Peninsula, including along Chapman and Hyde Roads, Dennis Westlake Reserve, around the Port Lincoln Marina and within the Coffin Bay and Tulka townships.

St Joseph’s School work experience student Samantha Whillas helped with the mapping survey and couldn’t believe how Bridal veil outcompeted the native understory plants.

“In one area the Bridal veil was smothering the Bridal creeper,” Ms Whillas said.

Bridal veil, different from Bridal creeper, was introduced to Australia as a garden plant but has since escaped gardens.

The leaf shape of Bridal veil is fern like, in contrast to the small heart shaped Bridal creeper leaves, and its fruit is a white berry, unlike Bridal creeper’s red fruit.

Bridal veil can grow up to three meters in length and completely smother the ground, it has fine green leaves which are soft and needle-like (3-10 mm), and are densely arranged in groups of three.

A characteristic of Bridal veil, and other Asparagus weeds, is the underground branching rhizomes, or tubers, which form a dense mat in the soil.

Winter and spring are the best times for controlling bridal veil and control should be undertaken before fruit forms.

Isolated weeds may be grubbed out, ensuring all tubers are removed from the soil.

It’s important that the tubers and rhizomes are contained within bags and removed from the site to ensure weeds do not re-germinate and spread further.

In dense patches herbicide control is recommended and is best applied during winter before or upon flowering.

For more information, including a link to the map and a video explaining how to identify and control Bridal veil, visit:

www.landscape.sa.gov.au/ep/plants-and-animals/pest-plants-and-animals/pest-plants or call the Natural Resources Eyre Peninsula Centre 8688 3111.