Brambles are a problem weed in South Africa but researchers are closer to finding a natural enemy to manage them
Originally published by The Conversation – Articles (AFRICA) — Read the original article →
Invasive alien brambles have been spreading across South Africa since the early 1900s, having come from North America and Europe. All brambles fall within the genus Rubus. Their common names in South Africa are braam (Afrikaans), ijingijolo (isiZulu) and monoko-metsi (seSotho).
Over the decades, these plants have crept into tree plantations, pastures and native grasslands. Dense, thorny thickets now choke open spaces, and impede livestock and wildlife movement. They restrict access to water, smother young trees used for timber, interfere with plantation management and disrupt roadsides.
They have become one of the most widespread and damaging weeds, though it’s hard to estimate how much land they cover because satellite imagery doesn’t capture them in grasslands and they “hide” under forest canopy.
