JUST over a month ago, a few small Canna indica plants were planted or planted themselves on a pavement near my home.
In such a very short time these plants have grown up and are rapidly taking over the pavement, merrily spreading their abundant seeds throughout our neighbourhood. This thicket of Canna indica s an alarming sight as the plant, commonly known as Indian shot, is a rather noxious alien invasive – and yet it is widely planted by ignorant gardeners.
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A while back, while visiting the Drakensberg, I did one of the popular little walks in this area. I was sad to see that a huge natural area alongside the pathway had, in less than a year, become totally infested by Canna indica. Like other invasives, this plant has no natural enemies here so it has the ability of elbowing out the native plants, rapidly taking over large tracts of land and transforming them into green desert that are of no use to birds, animals or insects.
Canna indica, which originates from the Caribbean area and tropical America, is a good example of how a flowering plant that has been brought into South Africa for ornamental purposes, has become a pest. It is a serious invader, particularly of streams, swamp areas forests, the edges of plantations and, in this case, an urban pavement.
Foreign plants that have become invasive like this species are another reason for thinking indigenous when choosing plants for our gardens.
An indigenous garden is beautiful, water-wise, wildlife friendly and doesn’t pose the risk of allowing aliens to jump over the garden wall to become nuisances.
By the way, cultivated varieties of cannas that are not invasive are available if you must have cannas in your garden, but there are many indigenous plants available that are just as showy as these large-flowered, eye-catching foreigners.
For a little indigenous gardening inspiration visit the Leisure Bay open gardens during the weekend of June 16 and 17. The four show gardens are situated in Leisure Bay at Plumbago, 546 St Ives Avenue, 1668 Seaton Avenue, 1311 Fisherman’s Drive, and Kalimera 1043 Fisherman’s Drive. They will be well sign-posted from the main road.
Tickets, at R30 to see all the gardens, will be available at the garden entrances during the garden show and from members of the Leisure Bay Conservancy and the participating gardeners. All profits go to the Leisure Bay Conservancy.
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