Environmentally Unfriendly Trees of Pakistan

[Syed Adnan]

Thanks KBW and MIKHURRAM for sharing about NEEM trees:

i have observed numerous NEEM trees in JUBAIL here , infact the road side most popular are the NEEM tress, they are tolerating the summer heat efficiently. They are slowly spreading in whole SaudiArabia. Another most abundantly available plant i have seen here is CRINUM LILLIES, thousands are bllooming these days in JUBAIL giving a spectacular view.

[mikhurram]

The Indian Society of Weed and Sciences have published a list of flora titled " Invasive Alien Flora of India". The list contains the name of 6 invasive plants known to have caused immense damage to the native flora of Pakistan. Two of these have already been pinpointed in our earlier discussions. These six most invasive flora which inparticular have become a menace in Pakistan are:

1. Broussonetia papyrifera (Paper Mulberry)
2. Prosopis juliflora
3. Eichhornia crassipes (Water Hyacinth)
4. Salvinia molesta
5. Parthenium hystrophorus
6. Lantana camara

in addition this list contains the names of some plants grown in Pakistan and sometimes discussed in the forum are

Datura Metel & Datura Innoxia
Euphorbia Heterophylla
Ipomoea
Mirabilis Jalapa
Ruellia Tuberosa
Torenia Fournieri

The list published by the India society can can be viewed at
http://www.isws.in/downloads/InvasivePl ... ndia-1.pdf
http://www.isws.in/downloads/InvasivePl ... ndia-2.pdf

[Syed Adnan]

Nice information.

Iam sick of this plant called "Blumea obliqua"

[Izhar]

Great discussion... any views on Conocarpous erectus... this tree (a big shrub to be more precise) has made Karachi green.. it grows at an exceptional speed, tolerates salinity (even grows in brackish water), drought but it does not grow from seeds in Karachi and propagated via cuttings only...

[Farhan Ahmed]

If it doesn't grow from seed, i don't think it can be invasive

[newton]

In respect of Conocarpus Erectus - Its is a foreign tough plant with the ability to colonise where other couldn't. It is not a mangrove but a marshland species. However it will colonise mangrove areas as well as any wetland areas and canals riverbanks etc. It has its advantages as well some negative impacts.

Where it does colonise waterways/marshes/wetlands it can grow quite aggressively and effectively clog up the system with shade, roots and trapped debris. Thus impeding waterflow creating stagnant cesspools which can lead to a rise of mosquito etc. It then requires removal and constant maintenance in order to prevent it from regenerating and changing the landscape. As it can grow very well from cuttings etc it can prove to be problematic in many areas.

The secondary impact is displacement of any native established bio-habitats. This has been well researched in Hawaii where the plant now naturalised has had major impact by recreating mangrove type forests where there were once open pools of water surrounded by grasslands.

regards
Ifzaal

[mikhurram]

Albizia julibrissin also known as Silktree Mimosa according to FlowersofIndia website is also found in Pakistan.

Introduced to USA in the 18th century it quickly become an invasive specie in addition to Japan as well. Grown mostly as an ornamental this tree produces seed pods in aubdance which fall apart very rapidly in the ground if not gathered and destroyed and which with every strong wind are carried over suprisingly long distance and are spread into very nook and corner. Seedlings transplant readily, and are very adaptable to the soil structures. Also the falling leaves, flowers and seed pods can pose significant clean-up mess if planted near homes.

The benefit these tree offers is that they also has the gift of fixing nitrogen in the soil which allows it to grow in poor soils and this excess nitrogen produced by them makes them an enabler of fertilizing surrounding plants. This is the main reason for the presence of mimosa trees along the side of highways in U.S.A. They are also a fast-growing source of biomass.

Finally fragrant flowers of this tree attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.

Any views whether they should be termed beneficial or a menace in context to our landscape?

[M Farooq]

Albizia julibrissin also known as Silktree Mimosa according to FlowersofIndia website is also found in Pakistan.

Introduced to USA in the 18th century it quickly become an invasive specie in addition to Japan as well. Grown mostly as an ornamental this tree produces seed pods in aubdance which fall apart very rapidly in the ground if not gathered and destroyed and which with every strong wind are carried over suprisingly long distance and are spread into very nook and corner. Seedlings transplant readily, and are very adaptable to the soil structures. Also the falling leaves, flowers and seed pods can pose significant clean-up mess if planted near homes.

The benefit these tree offers is that they also has the gift of fixing nitrogen in the soil which allows it to grow in poor soils and this excess nitrogen produced by them makes them an enabler of fertilizing surrounding plants. This is the main reason for the presence of mimosa trees along the side of highways in U.S.A. They are also a fast-growing source of biomass.

Finally fragrant flowers of this tree attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.

Any views whether they should be termed beneficial or a menace in context to our landscape?

This tree produces so much of mess, by its dead leaves, seed pods and it is huge. Certainly not a garden tree. Black ants love it, not sure why. If we look carefully notice black ants like Acacia, flame of the forest, and this tree. What could be the reason?

[Khalid Abro]

I wrote a full page in half an hour and when i submitted it, it asked me to log in even though i was logged in at the start of writing now i dont see it any solution.

[Farhan Ahmed]

I wrote a full page in half an hour and when i submitted it, it asked me to log in even though i was logged in at the start of writing now i dont see it any solution.

It sometimes does happen if your internet & browser is logging off. While you take longer to compose your post, your browser has logged off from site/internet, when you submit post the material is lost.

I would suggest all that once you plan to compose a long message do that on a wordpad/MS word to preclude this chance. Once the message is ready copy it and paste it in the space and then submit.