Giant devil’s fig

Thanks to The Echo for a timely article on a couple of nasty weeds (November 8). Giant devil’s fig has been around as an occasional plant for years, but has gone troppo since last year’s flood.  

A single plant may look pretty harmless, but it produces fruit filled with seeds which are spread by birds, as well as by floodwaters, vehicles, slashers, etc. It can proliferate into dense impenetrable stands several metres high and very prickly.  

It is listed as a priority weed by Rous Weeds, who say: ‘under the NSW Biosecurity Act 2015, every person has a responsibility to prevent, eliminate or minimise the biosecurity risk posed by weeds.’   

They have an excellent booklet out, ‘Weed Biosecurity – Priority Weeds of the Far North Coast NSW’, with details including good photos of more weeds than you want to look at, but should, know about. I’m told it can be downloaded from www.rous.nsw.gov.au, and there there should be hard copies available at the Mullum Co-op, Council and the library.   

The other weed mentioned in The Echo article, tropical soda apple (TSA), is not so common around here, and has several native relatives, at least one of which is more common, and is hard to distinguish from TSA.  

I suggest anyone who finds what they think is a TSA not to attack it, but to send several photos to [email protected]. If they think it might be TSA they will send someone to check it out. You are required to notify Rous Weeds if you do find TSA.  

These weeds can be prevented from becoming an ecological nightmare if all landowners control them on their own land, and if Council and Crown Lands take responsibility for these weeds on land they control, like roadsides and waterways. Their response to the questions is to say that it is Rous Weeds’ job, but of course they don’t give them enough money to do it.   

Matthew Lambourne, Mullumbimby