Its been just over a year since our first CITO with regards to Paterson curse, the improvement is visible but alas a few plants managed to seed last year and the results are showing.   With less plants evident getting rid of the last few should be quicker than last time.  Any help will be appreciated, the event is for 90minutes, but to qualify for the CITO the guidelines says one have to participate for at least 60 minutes.  Arrive as you want, but please keep in mind the 60minute requirement. Hope to see many of you on the day.

What exactly is Paterson curse, you ask?

During October and November, fields and pavements across Cape Town are filled with the lilac-flowering Paterson’s Curse.

(Echium plantagineum). Paterson’s Curse comes from the Mediterranean region of Europe, it is thought to have arrived in Cape Town during a pit-stop of a vessel from the UK destined for Australia during the late 1700s. These vessels often carried livestock and feed which may have been contaminated with Paterson’s curse seeds.

Beekeepers believe that the flowers of this plant are very important for bees and the honey industry but despite being toxic to horses, Patterson’s curse destroys indigenous plants, such as fynbos, by poisoning the soil with a deadly alkaloid toxin preventing any further growth by other plants except itself it also causes skin irritation and allergies and ultimately contributes to soil erosion.

A single plant can produce as many as 5 000 seeds which can amount to as many as 30 000 seeds per square metre. It has a six-year incubation period and, if not pulled out, will spread in huge swathes. The seeds are primarily distributed by wind.

According to Invasive Species South Africa, Patterson’s curse is listed as a category 1 invader plant, according to the Conservation of Agriculture Resources Act of 1983, meaning plants must be removed and destroyed immediately and trading of the plant is prohibited.

Nearly a two years since a Bothasig resident discovered rare fynbos flowers growing in the Batavia Street public open space, he approached the Recreation and Parks Department with a request to stop mowing an open field in their area due to the rare flowers sighted there, ecologists immediately visited the site to investigate.

To manage the area regular de-weeding needs to be done, so come join me in removing some Paterson curse, Devils thorn and also pick up some litter.

Because of the nature of Patersons curse it is suggested you bring some gardening gloves, long pants, water and a hat in case it gets hot.

Plastic bags will be supplied.