St John's Wort at Mount Majura
Identification history
| Hypericum perforatum | 2 Feb 2024 | waltraud |
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User's notes
In grassy woodland lower slope of Mt Majura. The two photos depict part of the Friends of Mt Majura (FoMM) project site "The Fair" in the nature reserve east of "The Fair" residential estate; the first photo shows a view from north to south with St John's Wort infestation from 2021-23 and treated site in the foreground, the second photo shows the same area with a view from south to north with the old StJW infestation in the foreground and treated area in the background. StJW spread during three consecutive LaNina Events (2020-2023); FoMM volunteers had not the capacity to contain the spread.
Some of the new 2023/24 season growth at "The Fair" project site was treated by contractor (paid with NRM grant money secured by FoMM). Since it was too late for FoMM's preferred herbicide "Starane" (which kills seeds only in the early fruit development stage), "Grazon" was used with fatal consequences for some of the trees that FoMM planted 10 years ago.
In 2022 and 2023 FoMM carried out triage of high priority sites which were a.) sites with high conservation values containing rare, uncommon, and endangered species, including orchids and groups of plants comprising a diversity of native ground-cover species that are characteristic of the grassy woodland community of Mt Majura's northwestern foot slopes; and b.) sites where volunteers invested significant time and money in the past decade.
In the treated area shown in the background of the second photo, Cullen tenax https://canberra.naturemapr.org/sightings/4548672 and other native forbs were recorded. The findings suggest that carefully spot spraying with Starane does not eradicate local wildflowers.
FoMM volunteers used a mix of treatments such as spot-spray with Starane, pulling out plants among natives, and removing flower and seed heads. Volunteers are not allowed to use other efficient methods to contain the spread of StJW such as brush-cutting before fruit development.
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Nearby sightings
1 2
Location information
- Coordinates 149.169236-35.225678
- Altitude 617.4m
- Maps Mount Majura The Fair, Watson
- Places Watson, ACT
Sighting information
- 1,001 - 10,000 Abundance
- 23 Jan 2024 06:45 PM Recorded on
- waltraud Recorded by
Additional information
- 1 metre to 5 metres Plant height
Species information
- Hypericum perforatum Scientific name
- St John's Wort Common name
- Not Sensitive
- Exotic
- Noxious or High Risk Weed or Pest
- Up to 1671.7m Recorded at altitude
- Machine learning
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In flower
- External link More information
Record quality
- Overall Fit for scientific/research use
- Images or audio
- More than one media file
- Confirmed by an expert moderator
- Nearby sighting(s) of same species
- GPS evidence of location
- Description
- Additional attributes
