Categories of Alien Plants

Invasive Alien Plants are widely considered a major threat to biodiversity, human livehoods and economic development.
Invasive alien plants are categorised into 3 categories and a fourth where identified alien plant species are waiting category placement 

Category 1
Invasive species requiring compulsory control. Remove and destroy. Any specimens of Category 1 listed species need, by law, to be eradicated from the environment. These plants are deemed to have such a high invasive potential that infestations.

Category 2:
Invasive species regulated by area. A demarcation permit is required to import, possess, grow, breed, move, sell, buy or accept as a gift any plants listed as Category 2 plants. No permits will be issued for Category 2 plants to exist in riparian zones.

Click on links below images to reveal lists of Indigenous Alturnatives

Euclea racemosa - Bush Guarri	Asystasia gangetica - Creeping Foxglove
Podocarpus latifolius - Real Yellowwood	Hypoestes forskaolii - White Ribbon Bush
Sapium integerrimum - Duiker-berry	Justica betonica - Paper Plume
Baleria obtusa or Baleria albostella - Bush Violet	Tetraselago natalensis - Natal Blue Haze
Baleria saxatalis - Small Blue Barleria	Vernonia capensis - Narrow-leaved Vernonia
Peristrophe cernua - False Buckwheat	Vernonia natalensis - Silver Vernonia
Acacia sieberiana - Paperbark Thorn	Acacia xanthophloea - Fever Tree
Albizia adianthifolia - Flat- crown	Albizia adianthifolia - Flat-crown
Albizia versicolor - Large-leaved False-thorn	Ficus bubu - Swazi Fig
Cissus rotundifolia - Bushveld Grape	Mondia whitei - White’s Ginger
Rhoicissus tomentosa - Common Forest Grape	Petopentia natalensis - Propeller Vine
Tinospora caffra - Orange Grape Creeper	Tacazzea apiculata - Crawcraw Vine
Erthroxylum delagoense - Small-leaved Coco Tree	Dioscorea cotinifolia - Wild Yam
Pavetta revoluta - Dune Bride’s Bush	Ipomoea ficifolia - Fig-leaved Ipomoea
Psychotria capensis - Black Bird-berry	Vernonia angulifolia - Trailing Vernonia
Miscanthus capensis - East-Coast Broom Grass	Ludwigia stolonifera - Creeping Ludwigia
Phragmites australis - Common Reed	Trapa natans - Water Chestnut
Typha capensis - Bulrush	Utricularia inflexa - Bladderwort
Afzelia quanzensis - Pod Mahogany	Cotyledon orbiculata - Pig’s Ears
Calodendrum capensis - Cape Chestnut	Kalanchoe crenata - Yellow Hairy Kalanchoe
Schotia brachypetala - Weeping Boer-bean	Kalanchoe thyrsiflora - White Lady
Acacia kraussiana - Coast Climbing Thorn	Crassula expansa - Fragile Crassula
Adenopodia spicata - Spiny Splinter Bean	Crassula multicava - Fairy Crassula
Caesalpinia bonduc - Grey Nickernut Creeper	Plectranthus strigosus - Small Money Plant
Crocosmia aurea - Falling Stars	Clematis brachiata - Traveller’s Joy
Gladiolus dalenii - African Gladiolus	Jasminum angulare - Wild Jasmine
Kniphofia spp. - Red Hot Pokers	Rhoicissus rhomboidea - Glossy Forest Grape
Bauhinia tomentosa - Bush Neat’s Foot	Kraussia floribunda - Rhino-coffee
Burchellia bubalina - Wild Pomegranate	Peddiea africana - Poison Olive
Polygala myrtifolia - September Bush	Psychotria capensis - Black Bird-berry
Chrysanthemoides monilifera - Bush-tick Berry	Apodytes dimidiata - White Pear
Peristrophe cernua - False Buckwheat	Cryptocarya latifolia - Broad-leaved Quince
Tecoma capensis - Cape Honeysuckle	Cryptocarya woodii - Cape Quince
Cymbopogon spp. - Turpentine Grasses	Nymphaea Lotus - White Waterlily
Mariscus solidus	Nymphaea nochali - Blue Waterlily
Miscanthus capensis - East-coast Broom Grass	Nymphoides thunbergiana - Small Yellow Waterlily
Cryptocarya wylei - Red Quince	Crinum moorei - Moore’s Lily
Eugenia natalitia - Common Forest Myrtle	Dracaena aletriformis - Large-leaved Dragon Tree
Teclea gerrardii - Zulu Cherry-orange	Siphonochilus aethiopicus - Wild Ginger
Crinum moorei - Moore’s Lily	Ipomoea albivenia - Climbing Kapok
Dracaena aletriformis - Large-leaved Dragon Tree	Ipomoea ficifolia - Fig-leaved Ipomoea
Siphonochilus aethiopicus - Wild Ginger	Mondia whitei - White’s Ginger
Calodendrum capense - Cape Chestnut	Chrysanthemoides monilifera
Millettia grandis - Umzimbeet	Peristrophe cernua - False Buckwheat
Schotia brachypetala - Weeping Boer-bean	Plumbago auriculata - Plumbago
Apodytes dimidata - White Pear	Crinum bulbispermum - Orange River Lily
Chinanthus peglerae - White Pock Ironwood	Crinum macowani - River Lily
Olea woodiana - Forest Olive	Hibiscus calyphyllus - Large Yellow Wild Hibiscus
Bridelia micrantha - Mitzeeri	Senecio tamoides - Canary Creeper
Proyorhus longifoloia - Red Beech	Senecio brachypodus
Trichilia dregeana - Forest Mahogany	Strophanthus spp. - Poison Ropes
Bersama lucens - Glossy White Ash	Dissotis canescens - Pink Wild Tibouchina
Ekebergia capensis - Cape Ash	Orthosiphon labiatus - Shell Bush
Trichilia dregeana - Forest Mahogany	Thunbergia natalensis - Natal Blue Bell
Dombeya burgessiae - Pink Wild Pear	Ludwigia stolonifera - creeping Ludwigia
Rothmannia globosa - September Bells	Sium repandum - Water Parsnip
Xylotheca kraussiana - African Dog-rose	Trapa natans - Water Chestnut
Microsorium scolopendrium - Creeping Dune Fern	Acokanthera oblongifolia - Dune Poison-bush
Nephrolepis biserrata - Giant Forest Fern	Bauhinia galpinii - Pride-of-De-Kaap
Rumohra adiantifrmis - Leather Fern	Brachylaena discolor - Coast Silver Oak
Aloe arborescens - Krantz Aloe	Cissus fragilis - Forest Grape Vine
Crassula ovata - Kerky-bush	Jasminum multipartitum - Starry Wild Jasmine
Miscanthus capensis - East-coast Broom Grass	Setaria megaphylla - Broad-leaved Bristle Grass
Phragmites australis - Phragmites Reed	Setaria sphacelata - Golden Bristle Grass
Combretum bracteosum - Hiccup Nut	Nymphoides thunbergiana - Small Yellow Waterlily
Podranea ricasoliana - Port St John’s Creeper	Trapa natans - Water Chestnut
Leonotis intermedia - Broad-leaved Leonotis	Cyperus textilis - Tall Star Sedge
Pycnostachys reticulata - Slender Pycnostachys	Zantedeschia aethiopica - White Arum Lily
Dombeya rotundifolia - Common Wild Pear	Eugenia natalitia - Common Forest Myrtle
Eugenia natalitia - Common Forest Myrtle	Lagynias lasiantha - Natal Medlar
Combretum kraussii - Forest Bushwillow	Freesia Iaxa - Small Red Iris
Bridelia micrantha - Mitzeerie	Plectranthus zuluensis - Zulu Spur-flower
Ludwigia palustris - Marsh Ludwigia	Cussonia spicata - Common Cabbage Tree
Nymphoides thunbergiana - Small Yellow Waterlily	Cussonia zuluensis - Zuklu Cabbage Tree
Apodytes dimidiata - White Pear	Bauhina tomentosa - Bush Neat’s Foot
Allophylus natalensis - Dune False Currant	Calpurnia aurea - Natal Laburnum
Calpurnia aurea - Natal Laburnum	Calpurnia aurea - Natal Laburnum
Hypericum revolutum - Curry Bush	Crotalaria capensis - Cape Rattle Pod
Erythrina humeana - Dwarf Coral Tree	Buddleja saligna - False Olive
Mundulea sericea - Cork Bush	Buddleja salviifolia - Sagewood
Asparagus falcatus - Large Forest Asparagus	Bridelia micrantha - Mitzeerie
Cissus rotundiflolia - Bushveld Grape	Syzygium cordatum - Umdoni
Ochna natalitia - Natal Plane	Arctotheca calendula - Cape Weed
Peltophorum africanum - Weeping Wattle	Gazania rigens - Trailing Daisy
Ochna natalitia - Natal Plane	Berkheya speciosa - Showy Thistle
Peltophorum africanum - Weeping Wattle	Euryops tysonii - Tyson’s Resin Bush
Barringtonia racemosa - Powder-puff Tree
Erythrina lysistemon - Common Coral Tree

Category 2

Acacia robusta - Brack Thorn	Brachylaena discolor - Coast Silver Oak
Acacia karroo - Sweet Thorn	Dodonaea viscosa - Sand Olive
Brachylaena discolor - Coast Silver Oak	Olea woodiana - Forest Olive
Dodonaea viscosa - Sand Olive	Syzygium cordatum - Umdoni
Acacia karroo - Sweet Thorn	Podocarpus falcatus - Common Yellowwood
Sesbania sesban - River Bean	Podocarpus latifolius
Brachylaena discolor - Coast Silver Oak	Eugenia natalitia - Common Forest Myrtle
Terminalia sericea - Silver Cluster-leaf	Lagynias lasiantha - Natal Medlar
Dombeya burgessiae - Pink Wild Pear
Dombeya tiliacea - Forest Wild Pear

Category 3

Brachylaena discolor - Coast Silver Oak	Gazania krebsiana - Bush Gazania
Tarchonanthus camphoratus - Wild Camphor Bush	Gazania rigens - Trailing Gazania
Terminalia sericea - Silver Cluster-leaf	Haplocarpha scaposa - False Gerbera
Dovyalis caffra - Kei Apple	Indigofera micrantha - Forest Indigo
Dovyalis longispina - Natal Apricot	Tephrosia capensis - Small Pink Tephrosia
Plumbago auriculata - Plumbago	Tephrosia grandiflora - Large Pink Tephrosia
Croton sylvaticus - Forest Fever-berry
Ficus sur - Broom Cluster Fig
Trimeria grandifolia - Wild Mulberry

Acknowledgments
The production of this resource was a joint effort between the eThekwini Conservation Branch and Parks Department, the Wildlife and Environment Society of SA, and the Botanical Society of SA.

With additional assistance from:
* Lesley Henderson of the Plant Protection Research Institute. Agricultural Research Council
* Geoff Nichols, Richard Symmonds, Gareth Chittenden, Penny Croucamp and Richard Boon who supplied photographs.

This Poster’s/Booklet Objective
Prevention of alien plant invasions is far cheaper than control or eradication. This poster/Booklet profiles plants which are grown and sold by nurseries and used by landscapers and gardeners. Unlike most other exotic species, these plants have escaped formally planted areas and are appearing to varying degrees in natural ecosystems.

Some of the plants on this poster/booklet have not been placed in a category by the Department of Agriculture and are thus not covered by the new legislation. Currently they are considered regional problems and/or their weed potential is yet to be established.

The plants on this poster/booklet were selected using the following criteria:
* They have escaped formally planted areas in Durban and are likely to do so in other sub-tropical parts of South Africa
* They are potential transformers of natural habitats.
* They are ‘emerging’ problem species.

Control and Eradication
In practice a combination of mechanical, chemical and biocontrol methods are used to combat alien plants. However, where infestations are light or cover relatively small areas, control is best achieved by mechanical means. Tackle light infestations first and then denser infestations.

Small plants may be pulled out by the roots especially when the soil is moist. Larger plants may need to be dug out at the roots. The secret to success is to tackle the job in a planned way and to diligently follow-up to remove seedlings and regrowth.

For more serious problems herbicides and/or biological control, using natural predators or pests, may be used. It is recommended that professional advice is sought before using these methods.

Useful References
* Botha, C. And Botha, Bring Nature Back to Your Garden,
WESSA Handbook with a chapter on alien weeds and lots of suggestions for indigenous alternatives.
* Conservation of Agricultural Resourses Act, 1983 (Act No.43 of 1983)
* Guiding Principles for the Landscaping of the Durban Inner City and KwaZulu Natal Coastal Belt.
A Durban Metro publication available from the cashier at the City Engineers Building, 166 Old Fort Road, Durban.
* Henderson, L. The Complete Guide to Declared Weeds and Alien Plant Invaders in South Africa,
Plant Protection Research Institute Handbook. Agricultural Research Council, Pretoria.
*Moore, J. Eradicating Invading Alien Plants in KwaZulu-Natal.
Available from WESSA, 100 Brand Road, Glenwood, Durban.
* Vermuelen, et al. Or Grobler, H et al.  A Guide to the Use of Herbicides,
Available from Agricultural Information, Private Bag X 144, Pretoria, 0001.
* Olckers T. Et al. Biological Control of Weeds in South Africa (1990-1998)
African Entomology. Memoir No 1. Entomological Society of Southern Africa.