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24.01.2022 Welcome to our very first post! Also the first in our Weed of the Week series...... WEED OF THE WEEK - Cestrum nocturnum ... Otherwise known as night-blooming jasmine, night-blooming cestrum, lady of the night, queen of the night, night-blooming jessamine, or as our co-director Dave calls it - Cousin of cestrum. Plants are amazing! This particular one has ordinary green foliage and insignificant small lemon-yellow flowers, but after 6:00 o'clock at night in the warmer weather, the flowers release the most amazing scent of sweet custard powder that fills the air. Unfortunately it is also a weed. Not as weedy as it’s highly invasive cousin Cestrum parqui, this one is more of a garden escape and one we have spotted a lot of at Bushland Park, Lane Cove. They do look very similar, although Cestrum nocturnum has darker foliage and the leaves don’t have that toxic smell like Cestrum parqui. It is a woody shrub growing to 4 m tall. The leaves are simple, narrow lanceolate, 620 cm long and 24.5 cm broad, smooth and glossy, with an entire margin. The flowers are greenish-white, with a slender tubular corolla 22.5 cm long with five acute lobes, 1013 mm diameter when open at night, and are produced in cymose inflorescences. The fruit is a berry 10 millimetres long by 5 mm diameter, either Marfil white or the colour of an aubergine. Removal method is by hand pulling small plants, or scrape and paint larger ones.

21.01.2022 NATIVE NURSERY NEWS In these uncertain times, we are grateful that we are still currently able to continue our work restoring native bushland and nurturing baby native plants The Apunga Native Nursery is still operating and can provide quality native plants for small or large orders.... Our nursery staff are committed to providing a greater than normal diversity of plants of local provenance and also specialise in hard to find plants and custom orders. For the latest stocklist and pricings please email [email protected] https://apunga.com.au/apunga-native-nursery/

19.01.2022 FROM THE FIELD This resident Lyrebird in one of our bush regeneration sites at Sailor's Bay in Castlecrag is doing an excellent job at soil aeration/disturbance and mycorrhizal spore dispersal, as well as delighting everyone lucky enough to get a glimpse of him or hear his amazing range of mimicry! Apunga field officer and local Castlecrag resident Matthew Keighery managed to capture this amazing photo, nice one Matt!

17.01.2022 WEED OF THE WEEK - Phyllanthus tenellus Otherwise known as Hen & Chicken A common, often insignificant weed that is hardy and grows in a range of locations. While it’s not especially a high priority weed it often gets mistaken for baby Breynia which is a native, there are also a couple of native look-a-likes. It originated from Madagascar and grows up to 45 cm tall, has wide obovate leaves 6-25mm long, with a pale underside to the leaf. The weed has green capsules that... can turn brownish when ripe. All the Phyllanthus species are in the Family Euphorbiaceae. We don’t see the native Phyllanthus very often (there are 2 types), but the main difference seems to be a much squarer and hairy leaf on the native Phyllanthus hirtellus and the little fruit that are almost always present are on a small stalk on the weed and sit flush against the stem on the other native Phyllanthus gunnii. Removal is easy peasy by hand pulling or can also be sprayed if in a big plume. See more

16.01.2022 WEED OF THE WEEK - Hyparrhenia hirta Otherwise known as Coolatai Grass. This one has been touted as potentially the worst invasive grass species in Australia. Coolatai grass is a tufted perennial, forming clumps to 1.5 m tall with tough, dense bases sprouting from rhizomes (root masses). The leaves are a greyish-green colour turning orangey-red in winter, particularly after frost. The flowerhead is long and much branched with grey-white, hairy flowers along a stalk. Coo...latai grass mainly grows and flowers during late spring to autumn, depending on adequate moisture being available. It grows rapidly after summer rains and if the winter is relatively mild the plant may be green all year. Plants may produce seed in their first growth season but it is produced over an extended period and shed as it matures. The tiny seeds are spread by the wind, by adhering to clothing, animals, vehicles and tools, especially when wet. Human activities such as slashing or traffic assist in spreading the weed, especially along roadsides. It spreads along drainage lines, indicating that water can also transport seeds. Coolatai grass can be confused with Kangaroo Grass (Themeda australis), Barbed-Wire Grass (Cymbopogon refractus) and some native spear grasses. For small infestations, single plants and small patches can be controlled by hand removal, by cutting through the fibrous roots (crowning). Use a knife in a circular action just below the crown. Physical removal is the preferred method as it is difficult to identify when seed production commences and because the plant is found in small infestations. Larger areas can be treated with a selective herbicide registered for use on the specific grass weed. All flowering and seeding material should be bagged and disposed of appropriately. Follow-up is required.

16.01.2022 FROM THE FIELD Having undertaken primary works for NPWS at Chowder Bay Casement, Sydney Harbour NP in late 2018/19, removing Woody weeds, Asparagus, Fishbone fern among others, we are back! Another short-term contract has allowed our dedicated teams to remove regrowth, germinated weeds to reduce competition on the natives which we uncovered or grew from the seed bank. ... We are now tackling the bulk of the asparagus and woody weeds above the cliffs. This is a terrible site to work....the many moods of The Heads keep us company

14.01.2022 WEED OF THE WEEK - Arundo donax Otherwise known as Giant Reed, Arundo, bamboo, bamboo reed, Danubian reed, elephant grass, false bamboo, giant Danube reed, Spanish reed, wild cane. Thought to be native to northern Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, western Asia, Ukraine, the Indian Sub-continent and eastern Asia.... Giant Reed can be confused with the native Phragmites australis, a smaller plant with much narrower stem and not clumped. Giant Reed is a tall bamboo-like perennial reed that grows to 36 m in height, but up to 10 m high under ideal conditions. Leaves are 30100 cm long, 27 cm wide and wrap around the stem. Leaves are generally green but variegated cultivars have been developed for garden use. It flowers in late summer, bearing upright, feathery plumes 4060 cm long. Fruit consists of large feathery grass seeds that are rarely fertile. A weed of waterways, drainage lines, swampy areas, roadsides, wetter disturbed sites, waste areas, old gardens and urban bushland in temperate, sub-tropical and tropical environments. Spreads vegetatively from broken sections of rhizomes (roots) and stems, which are readily carried by floodwater. The rhizomes are tough and fibrous and form knotty, spreading mats that penetrate deep into the soil up to 1 m. Very small amounts can be dug up. Remove the rhizome if digging the plant out. Repeated treatment is required. Cut and paint every stem with herbicide; scrape and paint rhizomes. Follow up treatment is required. Either cut and paint any sprouting stems, or spot spray leafy regrowth before it reaches 1.5 m. Whichever treatment is used, avoid over-clearing of established clumps on drainage lines. Remove the clumps gradually and replace with suitable native species to hold the soil.

13.01.2022 NATIVE NURSERY NEWS Last week Vanessa & Jane from the nursery were out digging up plants from a salt marsh in Johnston’s creek in Glebe. They'll be saving these plants and propagating them to be replanted when construction of the new wetland has been completed

11.01.2022 WEED OF THE WEEK - Alstroemeria pulchella Otherwise known as Peruvian Lily, Parrot Lily, Lily of the Incas, or (strangely) New Zealand Christmas Bells. The name Peruvian lily appears to be a bit inaccurate as it seems that it is native to Brazil. It’s a perennial herb with tuberous underground roots and water storing structures. It gets clusters of red flowers with green tips and is popular in floristry, it flowers from November to May. Leaves are spoon shaped. It usual...ly grows in the shade and is a common garden escape. There are quite a few instances of this weed across many of our sites, and if left untreated it can really take over. It’s a tricky one to get rid of as it spreads by underground tubers, so when digging out care must be taken to remove all the underground parts and can take persistent repeat weeding to ensure eradication. Some chemical options are dabbing the leaves with concentrate glyphosate or spraying with starane or brush-off. Chemical treatment may require follow-up with hand removal. See more

10.01.2022 FROM THE FIELD Team Apunga working hard, tackling Anredera cordifolia at Thomas Hogan Reserve in Bondi!

08.01.2022 Winter is here! With restrictions easing and the long weekend approaching, it's a great time to get out and explore our natural landscapes in all their wintery glory! Check out the NPWS website for their most recent COVID update - especially if camping is on your agenda. Bookings are now essential for ALL their campgrounds.... https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/npws-covid-19

08.01.2022 NATIVE NURSERY NEWS The Apunga Native Nursery is still hard at work nurturing our little plants before they head off to their very important revegetation projects. We are of course following all safety guidelines and keeping our distance, isolating where possible while also juggling a bit of practical home(nursery)schooling! We also have thousands of Dianella and Lomandra getting potted up every day!! Enquire here for our stocklist: https://apunga.com.au/apunga-native-nursery/

08.01.2022 WEED OF THE WEEK - Euphorbia paralias Otherwise known as Sea Spurge. We don't see this one too much, but it has been found at our site with Bayside Council at Lady Robinson Beach. Usually only found right on the coast.... Native to western and southern Europe, the Canary Islands, northern Africa and western Asia. Since being recorded in Albany (Western Australia) in 1927, sea spurge has spread around the southern, south-eastern and south-western coast of Australia and now occurs widely on the coasts of South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania and New South Wales. It is still spreading into new and un-infested areas within its current range, and has the potential to spread further north up the coasts of Western Australia and New South Wales. Sea spurge may also have the potential to spread into inland saline sites. A weed of coastal environs and offshore islands in the temperate regions of Australia. It occurs on free draining sandy soils on beaches, around estuaries, through dune fields, in coastal herbfields, grasslands, heaths and shrublands, and may also grow along rocky shorelines and in sand-filled cracks between rocks. A long-lived (i.e. perennial) herbaceous plant with upright (i.e. erect) or semi-upright (i.e. ascending) stems. It usually grows 20-70 cm tall, but may occasionally reach up to 1 m in height. The stems die off after flowering and are replaced by new shoots from the woody base (i.e. crown). Its stems are somewhat fleshy, contain a milky sap, and usually divide into branches near their tips. Its stalkless leaves (5-30 mm long and 2-15 mm wide) are crowded along the stems. Its tiny cup-like, yellowish-green, 'flowers' are borne near the tips of the stems and have a large stalked ovary. Sea spurge reproduces by seed and has two main modes of dispersal. The fruit open explosively when mature and expel the seeds short distances. Seeds are also buoyant in sea water, and can be spread very large distances by ocean currents. Humans can also assist the dispersal of seed, by spreading it about with beach grooming equipment or moving it to new areas in contaminated sand. Sea spurge is a relatively easy plant to physically remove. However effective control of infestations is complicated by ongoing reinfestation from sea bourne seed, the presence of long term seed banks, the potential for buried root crown to sprout, the difficulty in accessing many sites, and the release of a toxic white sap by damaged plants.A number of herbicides have been successfully used to control sea spurge, including spraying of glyphosate and metsulfuron-methyl. Warning: The broken stems of sea spurge ooze a toxic milky sap. This sap may irritate the skin and is painful if brought into contact with the eyes.

05.01.2022 If you are looking for something to do in Sydney tonight, this FREE Edible Gardening Talk run by Ku-ring-gai Council looks pretty interesting! ------------------ Towards 2040 - edible gardening talk - Thursday 6th March 6 - 8pm, Gordon Library, 799 Pacific Highway, Gordon.... Join Margaret Mossakowska, founder of Moss House discussing the edible, sustainable garden design and how to incorporate food growing into your backyard. Learn about the importance of creating healthy soils, waterwise gardening and choosing the right plants for your microclimate. Register online here: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/resheduled-towards-2040-edi