Answers to your gardening questions (by those in the know!)

SO, cut the plant to the ground and daub a herbicied on the cut face IMMEDAITELY. It will take several weeks to be sure you got it, but at that point the stump will begin to wither and youve got it into the root.
You wont be spraying Roundup all over the place and you will only need about a teaspoonful on your weed.

I can dig it.

Moth Plant (Araujia sericifera):

A climber that can grow to 10m tall. Triangular leaves to 11cm long. Fruit looks like a choko. Poisonous to poultry and dogs. Sap can cause skin irritation.

Control

wear gloves when manually removing this plant due to the irritating latex
hand pull seedlings
cut the roots at least 10 cm below the ground
herbicides effective
see white moth vine fact sheet for further information about control methods, including registered herbicide application rates

TABLE 1 − HERBICIDES REGISTERED FOR THE CONTROL OF WHITE MOTH VINE
Method Herbicide Rate Registration status
Spot spray fluroxypyr (200 g/L) 1 L per 100 L water PERMIT 7485
Basal bark spray fluroxypyr (200g/L) 35 mL per 1 L diesel or kerosene PERMIT 7485
Read the label carefully before use and always use the herbicide in accordance with the directions on the label.
It is a requirement of a permit that all persons using the products covered by this off-label permit comply with the details and conditions listed in
the permit. In addition read the herbicide label carefully before use and always use the herbicide in accordance with label directions. The above
permit can be used by pest control operations, members of environmental groups such as Bushcare, Catchment Care, Coast Care and people
employed as or working under supervision of local and state government officers.

PROPAGATION/PHENOLOGY:Reproduces by seed and vegetatively from severed underground stems or crowns. Stems can grow 6-9 m (20-30 ft) in one season. Seeds disperse with wind. Seed production is prolific, except in areas where temperatures drop below freezing in early fall. Seed viability is typically high (~90%), but longevity is undocumented. Plants produce seed the first season.

MANAGEMENT FAVORING/DISCOURAGING SURVIVAL:Improper discing can severe and disperse underground stems or crowns of mature plants, producing new vines. Young seedlings do not tolerate light cultivation.

CONTROL METHODS:

Bladderflower is a fast growing perennial vine introduced from South America. It is primarily found in citrus groves, orchards, and disturbed areas. Severe infestations may cause extensive losses by girdling tree branches and forming a dense canopy in the treetops, which increases competition for light, and reduces yields. Twining vines may also interfere with pruning practices. Seed production is prolific and viability may be greater than 90%. Seeds germinate in the spring and may produce a 20-30 ft vine the first year. Vines are capable of blooming in late summer and producing viable seed the first year. Seed dispersal is aided by two factors: the height of release from the canopy crown, and the long tuft of silky hairs attached to the seed apex. Both facilitate wind dispersal, a characteristic typical of many milkweeds in the Asclepiadaceae. There is very little information on the control of bladderflower. Eliminating seed production is critical to prevent rapid spread. Severing the vines at the base during early flowering may be effective. However, established vines resprout from the crown, and possibly from roots and underground stems. Tillage effectively controls seedlings, but may also spread severed roots to new areas. Tillage equipment should be cleaned after use in infested areas. There is little information on effective herbicides for bladderflower control. Spot treatments of glyphosate (2% v/v) to young resprouts have been effective for controlling other milkweeds. However, retreatment may be necessary for complete root kill. The most effective timing for treatment is during the bud to early flowering stage.

KILL IT #1

Great work Macleans College.

This invasive species is now also spreading unchecked in Australia, though it has been declared a noxious weed in parts of New South Wales (a state in the Australian federation).

If you see this plant anywhere, harvest the pods, bury them deeply, burn them, or steam-cook. Poison the plant by splitting the stem lengthwise for a distance of 150mm (6"), insert a strip of cotton cloth, then use a syringe to soak the cloth in glyphosate (1-3ml undiluted).

KILL IT #2

Bind loosely with string, cover with plastic, taped at the top, if heavy rain is expected. Glyphosate will then have a very good chance of killing the roots, so that it will not re-grow next season, as happens if you just cut it off at ground level.

The milky sap is toxic to dogs and poultry. It contains a powerful enzyme cysteine protease, and probably lots of other nasties.

Suggestion for key words: toxic weed araujia sericifera hortorum moth plant cruel vine bladder flower

Description
Moth plant is a slender evergreen vine growing to six metres high.
Leaves are opposite with a dark green upper side and paler underside. Clusters of tubular creamy fl owers are produced from December to May, producing occasional spongy, fi st-sized fruit.
These contain up to 500 seeds per fruit and are wind-borne after
emerging from split, drying pods. Seeds have a high rate of viability.

Control

Manual
Pull seedlings. Dig or grub established plants before seed pods are produced in the late summer.

Herbicide
Large infestations may be foliar sprayed, taking care not to overspray desirable plants.

• Metsulfuron-methyl/
glysophate mix
5 g metsulfuron-methyl
e.g. Escort®, Meturon®)
+ 200 ml glyphosate
(e.g. Roundup®)

Starter plant of this Araujia sericifera Moth Vine or moth plant, cruel vine, and white bladderflower.
White moth vine is a vigorous, woody creeper with a shallow root system. A perennial vine which can climb up to 20 feet.
When fruits dry, they split open releasing wind-borne seeds on silky hairs. Hardy in zones 8-11 Especially nice to grow
over a trellis or privacy fence and will grow in full sun or part shade, producing more blossoms in full sun.
I ship all my plants on Monday or Tuesday to avoid holdovers in unfavorable conditions in warehouses.

This is only a hobby for me because I love plants so much and want to share what I love with others. Thank you so much
for looking at my auction.