& Reuter) Hand.-Mazz", "Infraspecific Taxon Details : Rhododendron ponticum subsp. At a local level, it requires a concerted effort from landowners to eliminate the plant, especially in wooded and upland areas. R. ponticum on the small island of Hebridean, Colonsay, Scotland, UK is spreading at a rate of 1 km² every 5 years and the cost of prevention and eradication of the weed is estimated to be £120,000 per year for a planned 16 year programme. ponticum", "Infraspecific Taxon Details : Rhododendron ponticum var. (Cabi.org, 2017). Rhododendron control is a key element in nature conservation in those areas. Photo credit ©Crown Copyright 2011 (GBNNSS). Prioritising control of rhododendron. The wood is hard and light brown, with a rough bark. The magazine provides a dynamic platform for people to exchange ideas, promote discussion and supply information to those with a ‘professional’ interest in the natural world. MORE, Contact us – Email info (at) insideecology.com. Rhododendron ponticum, native to southern Europe and south west Asia was introduced into the UK in the 18th Century. Honey produced with pollen from the flowers of this plant can be quite poisonous, causing severe hypotension and bradycardia in humans if consumed in sufficient quantities, due to toxic diterpenes (grayanotoxins). Managing and Controlling Invasive Rhododendron. Rhododendron, also known as ponticum, is an invasive non-native shrub which has quickly infested forests throughout the United Kingdom. Classified as an invasive non-native weed species, rhododendron ponticum is responsible for the destruction of many native habitats. Rhododendron There are a large number of highly sought after species and varieties of rhododendron, of which the invasive dron ponticum is just one. Chemical control: spray cut stems with chemicals, although surrounding vegetation may be affected by this. Many different species of Rhododendron have been introduced into the UK but to date only one of these, Rhododendron ponticum, has become invasive. It can grow quite tall with specimens regularly attaining 8 m. 15-28. SF and SNH have worked together to identify priority areas for rhododendron control associated with woodland in Scotland, and produce supporting information and guidance. It has become what we class as a weed; an invasive species in the case of this particular rhododendron. baeticum (Boiss. Inside Ecology Ltd is a company registered in England and Wales. Bees became paralysed and exhibited excessive grooming or other distress behaviours after feeding on Rhododendron nectar, and ate less food than bees fed a control nectar. Clearance strategie… Please visit our advertise page for more information and info on how to obtain our rate card. 1157. Tabbush, P.M. & Williamson, D.R. [3], The range in the Iberian Peninsula is limited to mountain ranges, the Caramulo mountains, the Monchique range and the Aljibe range. First introduced for ornamental horticulture in 1763, it was recorded in the wild in the UK as early as 1894, and was subsequently planted for both its own merit and as a stock for grafting. Rhododendron ponticum is native to countries in the western and eastern Mediterranean such as Spain, Portugal and Turkey and also occurs eastwards through Asia into China.It is not native to Britain, but was first introduced in the late 18th Century. In the British Isles, it colonises moorlands, uplands, shady woodlands (alongside escaped laurels and the native holly) and in areas of acid soils, often in shaded areas. It is naturalized in Ireland, the U.K. and much of western Europe as well as in parts of New Zealand. As part of the role she manages the ecological works for a multi-phase development. She can be contacted via email: liz (at) ecological-services.co.uk. References in the further reading list can be used to distinguish between the different varieties if necessary. It is particularly problematic in Britain, where plants are self-sowing aggressively in woodlands, often out-competing native trees by filling the understorey and preventing natural regeneration. R.ponticum was first introduced to the UK via Gibraltar in 1763 and by 1893 it was being sold on London markets as a flowering pot plant. R.ponticum is a large shrub which can grow up to 8 metres tall, with an irregular base. In the fourth article of the series, Elizabeth Kimber (Ecologist), focuses on Rhododendron ponticum…. Veterinary Record, 132(20):515-516; 1 ref. Disposal through production of biochar. Biology and control of invasive plants Ruthin, Clwyd, UK; Richards, Moorhead & Laing Ltd, 62-63. Rhododendron ponticum often simply called rhododendron, is an evergreen shrub that has been widely cultivated as an attractive ornamental species. [citation needed], It was noted by the botanist Joseph Pitton de Tournefort during his travels in the Near East in 1700–02, and so received its name from Linnaeus to identify the ancient kingdom on the south shores of the Black Sea, Pontus, in which it grew. Rhododendron ponticum is readily recognised by its distinctive attractive flowers and large dark green coloured, oval leaves. Description: This species was first introduced to parks, gardens, and demesnes in Britain and Ireland in the 1700’s. There are over 900 species of Rhododendron, but only Rhododendron ponticum is invasive in Ireland. Its presence today in Great Britain is due to humans introducing it, and it easily naturalises and becomes a pest in some situations, often covering whole hillsides (especially in Snowdonia and the western British Isles). [7], In some parts of the world, a controlled dosage of the honey can be taken to induce hallucinations for spiritual or psychological purposes. [10] Clearance strategies have been developed, including the flailing and cutting down of plants with follow-up herbicide spraying. What will this achieve. Gritten RH, 1995. R. ponticum is a dense, suckering shrub or small tree growing to 5 m (16 ft) tall, rarely 8 m (26 ft). ... IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group Page 2 . The flowers are 3.5 to 5 cm (1.4 to 2.0 in) in diameter, violet-purple, often with small greenish-yellow spots or streaks. The results of the first 3 years of a control and management programme are described. Paul Simons. Please read our Privacy Policy. R.ponticum is covered by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. This page was last edited on 21 November 2020, at 15:59. Suspected rhododendron poisoning in dogs. A non-native, invasive species. It was introduced to Ireland during the 18th Century as an ornamental garden plant because of its attractive flowers. The plants were first grown in Britain in the 1760s, supplied by Conrad Loddiges, and became widely distributed through the commercial nursery trade in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It is suggested that restoration should focus on aiding the arrival of forbs and grasses under these circumstances, rather than altering the condition of the soil. ... Rhododendron ponticum has a reputation as an aggressive invader in temperate Atlantic areas (Mejias et al ., 2002). Key identification features of R.ponticum include leaves which are dark green and glossy above, in an oblong to elliptical shape and up to 22cm in length. The genus Rhododendron is the largest in the Ericaceae family with 1200 species. baeticum is one of the most extensively cultivated rhododendrons in western Europe. It was introduced to Ireland during the 18th Century as an ornamental garden plant because of its attractive flowers. Forestry Commission Bulletin 73: 1-7. Its native range is across Turkey, Lebanon, Bulgaria, the Caucasus, Spain and Portugal. Rhododendron Ponticum is part of the vast Ericaceae family. Mechanical clearance must be followed by repeated herbicide applications for at least two years to prevent re-sprouting and recolonisation (forestry.gov.uk, 2017). Despite producing an attractive… (1987) Rhododendron ponticum as a forest weed. Control Measures Current methods of management and disposal for R.ponticum include the following: Once R.ponticum has been removed from an area, a study by Maclean et al (2017) has shown that understorey plant community composition does not return to the state pre-invasion, even decades after the removal of R.ponticum. Habitat includes moorland, woodland, rocky outcrops where the shrub prefers to grow in acidic soils. Milne, R. I., & Abbott, R. J. Schlenzig A., 2005, First report of Phytophthora inflate on nursery plants of Rhododendron spp., Gaultheria shalon and Vaccinium vitis-idaea in Scotland. Testing mechanistic models of seed dispersal for the invasive Rhododendron ponticum (L.). This report, or any part of it, should not be reproduced without the permission of Scottish Natural Heritage. About the Author: Elizabeth Kimber works for an ecological consultancy based in Dorset (Lindsay Carrington Ecological Services Ltd). [citation needed], Fossil evidence shows it had a much wider range across most of southern and western Europe before the Late Glacial Maximum, or until about 20,000 years ago. Such areas include Nepal. "Infraspecific Taxon Details : Rhododendron ponticum subsp. “The economic impact of eradicating R. ponticum in a local area can run to many millions. [5], Though it was in Great Britain before the last Ice Age, it did not recolonise afterwards and the modern ecology of the island developed without it. Anecdotal evidence suggests that honey from R. ponticum is toxic to humans and results in relatively short-lived intestinal and cardiac problems but is rarely fatal (nonnativespecies.org, 2017). Rhododendron ponticum is one of those examples where a plant species has been introduced to serve a practical purpose and has turned into a liability instead.. The species has two disjunct populations one in the southwestern Iberian Peninsula (central and southern Portugal and southwestern Spain) and the other near the southern Black Sea Basin (eastern Bulgaria, northern Turkey, Georgia, and Northern Caucasus).
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