Not just wildflowers are blooming as spring sees a plethora of weeds sprouting in the region

It’s not just wildflowers blooming at the moment as the changing season brings with it a plethora of invasive weeds.

To combat the invasion, landholders in the Peel Harvey region are invited to a free weed identification workshop held by the Peel-Harvey Biosecurity Group, to help weed out invasive plants before they start to seed.

The workshop is on September 26 from 10am to 2pm at the Ravenswood Community Centre, with a presentation by weed experts and botanists Greg Keighery and Andrew Mitchell.

With six priority declared weeds — cotton bush, Cape tulip, arum lily, Paterson’s curse, apple of Sodom, and blackberry — all actively growing in spring, they are some of the primary focus for the PHBG.

Only blackberry is non-toxic, with the others posing potentially lethal risks to pets and livestock.

PHBG executive officer Teele Hooper-Worrell said spring was an active time for weeds, so landholders should monitor for any new growth of declared weeds.

“Correct identification of these weeds on your property can lead to more effective control measures, saving you time, money and effort in achieving long-term results,” she said.

Anyone unsure about the weeds on their property or wanting to learn more about weed identification are encouraged to attend the workshop, and receive a free copy of the Southern Weeds and Their Control booklet.