Help reduce toxic weed

TOXIC weed Cape Tulip has reared its head across the Surf Coast shire with local authorities calling on residents and landowners to help reduce the weed’s spread.

Cape Tulip weed is poisonous to humans and animals, and is present in the Winchelsea, Buckley, Wurdale, Modewarre, Moriac, Barrabool Hills and Paraparap areas with small outbreaks occurring in Aireys Inlet and Bellbrae.

Surf Coast Shire council is controlling Cape Tulip on municipal roadsides and other council-owned or managed land, and is calling on land owners to play their part in stopping the spread.

Early spring, when the weed is in flower, is the easiest time to identify and control Cape Tulip infestations. It is common in pastures and larger gardens, but also on roadsides and in grasslands where it replaces native grasses.

Cape Tulip spreads easily through wind dispersal or via underground stems being caught in hay or silage.

Manual control should be done wearing gloves. Any skin areas that come in contact with the weed should be washed as soon as possible.

Control measures include: hand-pulling of small infestations including corms is possible, particularly in softer, moist soil; any removed corms should be burned, or bagged and put in the garbage (not the green bin); or chemical control using a registered herbicide just on flowering.

Alert council about locations of Cape Tulip via the lodge a request page at surfcoast.vic.gov.au/request or phoning Council on 5261 0600.

For more information head to Agriculture Victoria www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/biosecurity/weeds/priority-weeds/cape-tulip-oneleaf.