A few thoughts on creating a near to Natural Grassland

Creating a near to Natural Grassland is far easier said than done but it is certainly not impossible as can be seen from the photograph below taken of a portion of one of my grass gardens I have been growing for the last six years in my in my own garden at Mount Moreland.

Berkheya insignis

Although I have been experimenting since the mid 1970´s with growing very many grassland plants species and in establishing and managing grasslands on a small scale there are still many questions than remain unanswered. There are no doubt many methods and combinations of methods that can be successfully used the scale of the project will usually determine the method used to establish your grassland.

I will only present one method in this article the method I would use on a small to medium scale in the re-creation of grassland habitat, it is easy enough to adapt to the small scale home garden grassland. Large scale re-creation of grassland needs to be looked at in a very different light, for such large scale creation of grassland much reliance would need to be put on assisting and guiding natural processes of regeneration to do the work. Below I have presented a few short guidelines that need to be taken in to account when attempting to create a small to medium sized grassland the rest is probably going to be up to natural processes beyond your control. These are just a few guidelines gained from about 40 years of experimenting, as I certainly do not have all the answers after so many years of trying, managing your own grassland is going to be a challenge that will be most rewarding

Grassland habitats bring large numbers of insects in particular bees and butterflies into the garden and surprising to many the grasses bring in the most. 

Anthericum saundersiae

Many other small creatures are at home in grassland

such as  some of the smaller skinks including burrowing skinks and plated lizards. The golden mole is also a resident of my grasslands. 

Weeds and their control

One question that still remains very much unanswered and may probably never be satisfactorily answered is the matter of weed control. Without exception any natural grassland that has been disturbed or put to another use very rapidly becomes infested with both foreign as well as indigenous weeds, as well as woody plant invaders such as Chromaleana odorata. Another huge problem that is often encountered in former disturbed areas and abandoned farmlands is Cyperus esculentus, (yellow nut sedge or nut grass). This presents a huge problem for anyone who has in mind to create a suburban grassland garden or to re-habilitate grassland on a much larger scale on abandoned farmland. Clearly the biggest problem in establishing and managing an establishing grassland is the control of the weeds that will germinate and grow in profusion as soon as disturbance occurs such as the preparing of the seed bed and the planting of grass seed or the planting of growing plants takes place. In fact the control and management of weeds in the grassland is the key to success and is always going to present huge problems after the flowering plants are introduced into the grassland as thereafter selective herbicides can no longer be used.

Reducing the number of weed seeds and nut sedge in the soil before planting begins will certainly have a major influence on the success of the project as failing to do so will ensure huge competition with the grass plants one is wanting to establish, in particular on large scale projects where grass is being planted by means of seed over vast areas.

The old saying more haste less speed certainly is the case in establishing a stable grassland community. It would certainly be of great benefit to plan the establishment of the grass land with great thought and detail then to go about the project methodically taking into account the weather conditions that nature presents you with at the time of establishment.

Choice of grass species

Melinis nerviglumis

From the very beginning it must be taken into account that a grassland is not a grassland without grass plants they play by far the major role in the ecosystem the larger the number of species the better the grassland.

The choice of grass species to be planted will be determined by a number of factors in particular the nature of the soil, whether it is sand, loam or clay, the lay of the land for instance is it flat or sloping, or does it face north, south, east of west. The soil moisture and drainage are also very important factors to consider in choosing the species of grass to be planted as different grasses have different soil and moisture requirements. For the small home garden low growing less vigorous decorative grasses with low leaf production are probably the ones to choose from. In most cases it would be most practical to plant the grass seed in situ.

For the small home garden it would probably be an option to grow the grass plants needed to establish the grass garden in containers in a separate nursery area to be planted later together with the grassland forbs into their final positions in the grass garden.

Most if not all of the seed that will need to be used is probably going to need to be specially collected and processed as the commercial seed merchants only stock improved varieties of our local grasses that have been specifically selected and bred for producing pastures. For projects I have undertaken I have mostly collected and dried my own seed.

For the smaller project some of the grass species required can be bought from nurseries or nurseries will grow them for you.

Try the internet it is amazing what you can find for sale or what you can obtain if you make your requirements known

Choice of grassland flowering plants

Thunbergia atriplicifolia

Here similar factors come into play as for when choosing grasses for the small home garden and be sensible do not try to grown large or vigorous growing plants because  they will soon cause problems, also avoid weedy species that multiply rapidly by seed. Make sure that a good number of legumes are included in the selection of the plants to be used as they play an important role in the ecosystem in particular by providing nitrogen to the grasses and other plants.

For many species it is probably better to grow the plants needed to establish the grass land or grass garden in containers in a separate nursery area to be planted out later into their final positions in the grass land or garden at the appropriate time. Many of the grassland forbs, in particular those with bulbs or large underground storage organs are best grown from seed planted into beds in the ground or raised beds. When it is the correct time to plant them out usually after the first spring rains simply cut back the above ground growth and then plant them out directly into the ground. This method vastly reduces the losses when planting out into the field, in fact any plant that can be cut back should be cut back before planting out into the field.

Plant sources

Nurseries are the first choice for many home owners wanting to establish a small home garden grassland

in particular those who do not have the skills or time to produce their own plants.

Another option is to rescue plants from development sites, here it would be necessary to obtain the landowners permission and possibly permits form the authorities in the case of protected plants.

Grow your own. Collect seed and or vegetative propagating material and grow the plants required in a nursery established for the purpose, this would be essential for larger projects.  Here again it would be necessary to obtain the landowners permission and possibly permits form the authorities in the case of protected plants.

Try the internet it is amazing what you can find for sale or what you can obtain if you make your requirements known

Preparation of the site for planting the grass seed

The site to be planted needs to be freed of all rubble and other foreign materials, this may sound rather obvious to most people but does not appear to be so to some. The next step would be to spray the entire area with a non selective herbicide to remove all unwanted vegetation. Burn, turn by hand or plough the entire area to create a fine seed bed then smooth but do not compact the surface ready for planting at the same time incorporating a pre-emergence herbicide for broad leafed weeds if one is being used. It is important to sow the seed as soon after preparation as is possible. If there is a serious problem with nut grass it may pay to deal with this problem as best one can before doing final seedbed preparation and the planting of the grass seed.

If you need tractors and farming equipment try your local farmer or place an ad on the internet.

Planting the grass seed

Standard agricultural seed drills or spreaders will be suitable for planting many of the seeds however some seed may need to be hand distributed if the machinery available or the seed being planted is not suitable. Hydroseeding is also a viable option if the equipment is available at a reasonable cost. Some grasses that have a low seed production can only be established by planting live plant material.

Additional notes for the home garden

Kniphofia tysonii

Position your grass garden in as open a position as possible because grassland need lots of sun and does not particularly like to be in shadow for too much of the day. The other big consideration is the nearness to trees because their roots compete for both nutrients and water if they can reach. 

Group your plants for effectiveness this also promotes good cross pollination and seed production

Many plants of the family Compositae are very showy and do well such as Gazania, Helichrysum, Berkheya, Vernonia, Senecio.

The small decorative home garden grassland would benefit from a light topdressing of well rotted compost and a little well balance fertilizer at the beginning of the growing season.

Hand weeding is going to need to be done to keep the grassland free of unwanted weeds

In a small grassland natural processes can not be relied upon to keep it in equilibrium therefore there is going to be the need for the annual or continual removal of excessively vigorous plants and those that multiply too freely and for others that find it hard to maintain their presence replacement on an annual basis will be required.

Keep a list of the plants that were planted and propagate or buy the ones that do not readily reproduce by themselves when replacements are needed. 

Be vary wary of planting plants that can easily become weeds such as Justicia lutea and vigorous creeping plants

Watering may be beneficial at times in particular if one burns early to promote an early flush of spring flowers as I do on portions of my grassland.

The grass must be allowed to start drying out mid summer to early autumn and winter so that the plants can rest. After the aloes have flowered I then cut or burn the grass and irrigate to start the spring off a little early.

When planning to burn warn your neighbours! Plan to burn small areas at a time and before burning water the surrounding areas very well and do not forget to be on standby together with your neighbour with your hosepipes in hand and turned on. 

Do not expect your grassland to look good all year round because it must rest and dry out in the winter to look its best in the springtime after the rains arrive.

Managing the grassland

When establishing grassland on a larger scale it is going to be necessary to establish a relatively stable grassland until annual weeds have been sufficiently suppressed by the grasses because once the broadleaf plants have been added one can no longer control the broad leaf weeds by chemical means. Grass weeds that may become a problem will need to be spot treated with a non-selective herbicide or be removed by hand.

The grass must be mowed and not be allowed to grow too long in the first months after establishment so as to allow those grasses that germinate or grow slower to reach a reasonable maturity before slowly allowing the grasses to grow taller between mowing, if this is not done the slower species will simply die out and the faster growing species will dominate. I believe it would be most beneficial to graze the grassland once well established with goats and sheep and possibly even cows in a controlled manner to promote healthy growth of the grasses and to maintain the highest possible plant density. In fact I am presently doing trials using an Nguni Sheep and an Nguni Goat to see the effect on the plant populations in my own grasslands.

My gardening assistants Imvu and Imbuzi inspecting newly planted grasses

In the first years both during and following establishment it would probably be beneficial to burn the grassland annually in particular if the grassland is not grazed or the grass is not cut during the year, thereafter the decision to burn or not to burn must be based on the condition of the grassland at the time when burning should occur.

Planting the grassland forbs

The forbs and other grassland plants must be introduced to the grassland at a much later date the soonest being the following growing period. Thereafter any weeding out of weeds with herbicides will need to be done very carefully if at all or by hand pulling making sure to deal with each weed specie before it has the opportunity to set seed.

Some of the plants that have done well for me in my ornamental grass section

Grasses

Melinis nerviglumis
Panicum natalense
Andropogon eucomis
Eragrostris racemosa
Eragrostis capensis
Themeda triandra
Hyparrhenia filipendula

These are all small varieties with low leaf production which are ideal for an ornamental grass garden, those with a high leaf production are more ideal as for larger natural grasslands and for development as pasture grasses but not for your ornamental home grass garden.

Flowering plants

Dianthus zeyheri

Aloe maculata

Anomatheca laxa

Anthericum saundersiae

Aster bakerianus

Berkheya insignis

Berkheya speciosa

Berkheya umbellate

Bulbine abyssinica

Bulbine asphodeloides

Crocrosmia aurea

erbera ambigua

Gerbera piloselloides

Gladiolus daleni

Gladiolus woodii

Helichrysum aureum

Hypoxis angustifolia

Hypoxis hemerocallidea

Hypoxis rigidula

Kniphofia tysonii

Plectranthus hardiensis

Ruellia cordata

Scadoxus puniceus

Senecio coronatus

Thunbergia atriplicifolia

Thunbergia natalensis

Vernonia capensis

Vernonia hirsutus

Vernonia natalensis

Xysmalobium undulatum

Other Grasses
I presently have the following grasses plus a few more in the form of seed or seedlings that may have survived the drought growing in different habitats in my garden

Acroceras macrum                                           

Agrostis eriantha

Aristida junciformis

Bothriochloa insculpta

Brachiaria brizantha

Cenchrus ciliaris                                                

Chloris gayana

Cymbopogon plurinodis                                    

Cynodon dactylon

Dactyloctenium australe                                     

Digitaria eriantha

Digitaria sanguinalis

Ehrharta erecta

Eleusine coracana                                             

Eriochloa meyeriana                                                                                      

Eragrostis ciliaris

Eragrostis curvula

Eragrostis racemosa

Festuca scabra

Hemarthria altissima                                          

Hyparrhenia hirta                                              

Hyparrhenia sp silver foliage

Hyparrhenia sp very tall yellow stem

Hyparrhenia filipendula

Imperata cylindrical

Ischaemum fasciculatum                                    

Leersia hexandra

Melica racemosa                                                  

Melinis nerviglumis

Melinis repens                                                  

Oplismenus hirtellus

Panicum schinzii

Panicum deustum

Panicum maximum

Panicum natalense

Panicum repens

Setaria megaphylla

Setaria sphacelata var sericea

Setaria plicatilis

Setaria verticillata

Sorgum bicolor

Sporobolus africanus

Sporobolus fimbriatus

Themeda triandra                                           

Michael Hickman
Ecosystems Manager

Landscape Design Specialist

www.ecoman.co.za

michael@ecoman.co.za

15.10.14

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Some thoughts on the rehabilitation of sugar cane land into natural like grassland in the coastal regions of northern KwaZulu-Natal

A brief overview

In my professional opinion I believe it is an illusion to believe that in the short term one can recreate natural like grassland on a large scale. I believe that the best and most cost effective method is to set the process into motion, to guide it, to manage it and to keep it free of invasive aliens as best as can be done. Clearly the more the money that is invested into the project the quicker the results will be, but the higher cost can never be justifed.

Aloe maculata and berkheya spiciosa growing in my grassland at Mount Moreland

Unless one works in a cost effective manner together with nature in today’s economic climate it is going to be impossible to justify the expense of re-habilitation.  

If I was set with the task of re-habilitation of a large tract of sugar cane land into natural like grassland I would set about the task using the system and methods described in the rest of this brief article.

In my opinion there are many approaches that would deliver acceptable results and that there is no absolute right or wrong. We do not know for sure what was there before sugar cane but can give it a guess based on experience, local knowledge and looking at sites in surrounding areas with untouched or minimally damaged grassland. There could very clearly be elaborate and colorful designs put forward by office experts where nature will not comply with the designers wishes. Designs that would dazzle but that could never be implemented no matter how much money one invests into them. When dealing with nature there are certainly no guarantees that any expert can give. Regardless of our skills or lack of skills nature will have the last say the sooner we realize this the more successful we will be and the more money we can save arriving at an acceptable result.

As a case study I propose the re-habilitation of portions of sugar cane lands at the new Durban King Shaka International Airport as I know this area well having flown many hours low over the leveled areas since work was started on the site in about April 1971. I also often landed on the site long before the present airport was built. I now live at Mount Moreland immediately south of the airport. In addition I have been involved in the project in one way or another including planning of the re-habilitation since 3 August 2007.

On site during construction King Shaka International Airport Durban

After the initial earthworks were completed at the then La Mercy Airport the project was abandoned without any re-habilitation work whatsoever being implemented on site. Within a relatively short space of time weeds and grasses colonized the site and over the years many of the local grasses and grassland plants found there way onto the site.

Method

There are as many possible methods as the days in the year, which method is correct and which method is not can probably never be evaluated, clearly on a large scale cost will be a major factor so any method that works with instead of against nature saving cost is going to be the way to go.

Before attempting to engage in rehabilitation activities one must first try to reconstruct in ones own mind the nature and annual life cycles of the grasslands of the past, some indications can still be found in the rural areas nearby that have not been affected by sugar cane farming.

In my professional opinion the method that requires the least human intervention and the maximum use of natural processes to bring about the re-creation of natural like grassland is going to be the only sensible and economical approach in the short, medium and long term. This approach certainly will not give the quickest results but will most certainly be financially justifiable and will give a good result in the end.

In most of the areas not directly associated with the airport such as the runway, terminal and service areas where earth works were undertaken the growing of sugar cane continued on a lease basis in many areas right up to this day badly depleting marginal sandy soils of the last of their nutrients until they were in many cases finally abandoned.

Albuca setosa growing in my grassland at Mount Moreland

Starting the process

Harvest the sugar cane wait for he sugar cane to start growing when there is sufficient growth to be able to deliver a lethal dose of Glyphosate spray the cane and let nature continue the process.

Annual weeds

Since the natural vegetation was destroyed and sugar cane was first planted on this land from about the 1850´s no other crop has been grown on it. Over time the sugar cane has acted as a huge trap trapping vast amounts of windblown seed of invasive alien weeds including vast amounts of annual weeds which are now stored in the soil seed bank. Due to the sugar cane inhibiting the germination of the weed seeds most never germinated those that did germinate soon died as the cane grew and robbed them of light. When the sugar cane is finally removed and the factors inhibiting the germination of the weed seed has been removed the annual weed seeds germinate in their countless millions after the first rains. Small quantities of local perennial grasses mainly Panicum maximum also germinate together with the weeds after the sugar cane is removed and they receive sunlight, once the weeds have completed their life cycles and have produced their seeds and have died the grasses have a chance to grow, to cover the ground and to produce their own seeds in turn. If left to nature after a few cycles the grasses gain the upper hand and the annual weeds almost disappear, to be an insignificant component of the resulting grassland. These same annual weeds can also be found in the few remaining natural grasslands in the immediate vicinity and when portions of these seemingly stable natural grasslands are disturbed masses of these same annual weeds germinate, slowly to be naturally suppressed by the natural grasses and other plants.

As far as attempting to eradicate annual agricultural weeds such as Bidens pilosa, Bidens bipinnata, Conyza bonariensis, Ageratum conycoides etc. by chemical or mechanical means in rehabilitation and alien plant eradication projects at the King Shaka International Airport or elsewhere in the greater Durban area is concerned, I in my professional opinion believe that it is an impossible task due to many factors beyond our control.

Ageratum conycoides the most numerous annual weed at this time of year

Inappropriate use of the herbicide Glyphosate and poor cultural practices on surrounding farmlands and derelict and poorly managed land around the city has greatly increased the number of these agricultural weeds, which release their windborne seeds to re-infesting the areas that have been cleared. In my professional opinion a good healthy cover of natural grasses and grassland plants is the only sensible solution to suppress the numbers of these unwanted weeds.

This process does however not occur where perennial alien weeds are concerned and if left to nature they generally quickly become dominant making it necessary to remove them.

If left to nature it would be many years and some not at all before many of the other grasses and grassland forbs make their way to the site therefore some help is going to be needed to help them to get on site and to help them to establish themselves.

Obtaining and growing seed

Obtaining most of the seed needed to re-introduce the required plants both grasses and forbs to the site is going to present many problems as very few are available commercially and many aer close to impossible to grow using conventional methods. Here is where a very good knowledge of our local plants in particular knowing how to grow them and introduce them into the grasslands and innovative thinking based on this knowledge is going to be vital to the success of the project.

Berkheya speciosa in my garden at Mount Moreland

With many of the plants that need to be introduced into the grassland seed is neither able to be collected in the wild or the plants do not take kindly to propagation and cultivation so a good knowledge of the plants is essential and innovative methods need to be employed to be able to introduce them into the grasslands. So as to protect my specialist know how in this area I am not going to go into any detail in this article.

The planting of certain grass seeds in particular some of the grasses with long awls such as grasses in the genus Hyparrhenia presents problems all of its own for instance they can not be planted by seeding machines because they tie themselves together in tight bunches and can from my own experience only be hand distributed unless the awls can somehow be removed from the seed without damaging the seed.

Hyparrhenia hirta growing in my grassland see the very long awls on the seed

Management of developing grassland

Management of developing grassland poses many questions as to the correct management of the emerging natural grassland for instance at some point in time additional species need to be introduced and this is going to be very difficult if there is a thick cover of Panicum maximum that dominates the landscape not allowing other grasses and Forb seeds to germinate and grow just as was the case with the sugarcane dominating the landscape before it. Fire is clearly a tried and tested method to remove the dense grass cover once per year but I believe this is both damaging and inadequate if done alone in particular on developing grasslands. Burning removes moribund grass very effectively, promotes the germination of seed, it promotes the growth and variety of grassland forbs but looses nutrient to the atmosphere. Burning certainly helps control the rampant growth of the dominant pioneer species in this area Panicum maximum.

Burning alone removes large amounts of carbon returning it back to the atmosphere in addition to other vital minerals and organic compounds which are lost to a system which has already been impoverished due to over 150 years of sugar cane cultivation.

Burning of developing grassland following the removal of sugar cane

Domestic livestock

In the natural grassland as had occurred on site before the arrival of the white man who removed it and planted sugar cane the grasslands of this region were formed by the interaction of grazing and browsing animals both wild and domesticated and the actions of man who in the absence of natural fire set fire to the grassland after the first spring rains.

It long believed that the Nguni cattle, goats and sheep arrived in southern Africa with the Nguni-speaking people, ancestors of today's Zulu, Xhosa and Swazi people.  However, recent research has revealed that the cattle were probably introduced into southern Africa by the Khoisan-speaking people in around 600 and 1400 AD this is much earlier than originally thought. The Nguni-speaking arrivals in southern Africa quickly assimilated the cattle skills and husbandry techniques of the Khoisan. 

Since then, these animals have played an important environmental role in the development of the grasslands in the areas that were settled by these people. 

It is clear in my mind that animals must be part of the equation as they not only remove grasses and other plants allowing for light to periodically reach the level of the soil which fosters a much larger varieties of plants to establish and to maintain themselves this I have observed in the wild and proven in experiments that I have performed. In addition to periodically removing unwanted top cover in controlled grassing vast numbers of organic compounds and nutrients are returned to the impoverished soil. As it is not practical to do controlled grazing with wild animals and because domestic livestock also played and important role in managing the rolling grasslands of KwaZulu-Natal before the arrival of the white man I propose the use of Nguni cattle, Nguni goats and imvu the Zulu sheep to do this valuable task for us. Large herds of wild grazing and browsing animals and pastoral activities by native tribes has clearly had a large impact on forming the natural grasslands in this region before Europeans arrived and ripped most of it up to plant mono-cultures of sugarcane which have in most regions almost completely replaced the extensive grasslands of the past.

The major perennial invasive aliens such as Lantana camara, Solanum mauritianum and Chromaleana odorata that tend to invade this site will have to be dealt with using conventional means.

The invasion of woody species will mostly be taken care of by the annual burning of portions of the grassland.

In areas with deep poor sandy soils which are readily colonized by the forest indicators, Melinis repens, Helichrysum kraussii Chrysanthemoides monilifera, Albizia adianthifolia should probably not be forced into becoming grasslands but be allowed to do what nature is clearly indicating is the natural option.

Gladiolus ecklonii growing in my grassland at Mount Moreland

Conclusion

Keep your plan simple if you want to be sure not to fail.

At the end of the day the final production will be determined by a combination of specialist knowledge, a good feel for the intricate workings of the natural environment, time, luck and the workings of mother nature. No man can plan such a rehabilitation project in an office in a far off place to give an exact result with absolute certainty. We are working with nature and anyone who says that they can give a precise result years down the line is either a charlatan or is God himself

Click here to see Rehabilitation at King Shaka International Airport Durban

Michael Hickman
Ecosystem Manager

Landscape Design Specialist

www.ecoman.co.za

michael@ecoman.co.za

03.05.14

Please do not leave this page without clicking on the G+ button below if you do not have a Google profile it is about time that you registered for one

Yellow Ground Orchid Eulophia speciosa

Yellow Ground Orchid 

Eulophia speciosa 

IsiZulu: Umabelejongosi Ompofu; Umlunge Omhlophe

Eulophia speciosa growing and flowering very well under harsh conditions on my roof at Mount Moreland

Description

Eulophia speciosa is aptly named ‘speciosa’ – Latin for ‘beautiful, handsome and showy’.

Eulophia speciosa is a terrestrial perennial plant producing 3 - 6 leaves 15 - 65cm long on a central flowering stem up to 150cm tall. The stem grows out of an underground string of pseudo bulbs which are 4 - 6 long and up to 4cm wide

Distribution

Eulophia speciosa is a species of terrestrial orchid has a wide distribution range being from Western Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Ethiopia, most countries of the central and eastern parts of Africa, from Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, northern Botswana and north eastern Namibia to Swaziland, Mozambique and South Africa where it occurs from the Limpopo, Mpumalanga, southwards to KwaZulu-Natal through the Eastern Cape to the Western Cape as far as the George-Knysna area.

Habitat

The plants normally grow in savannah grassland, bush land and wooded grassland, and have also been recorded from marshy coastal grassland and montane grassland. They are found in grassland from near sea level often exposed to salt spray to 1 700 m in southern Africa, and up to 2 000 m in East Africa. In South Africa the plants usually grow in colonies of up to 50 plants generally in sandy soils but are also found growing in clay soils. This wide-ranging species is obviously rather adaptable, and can therefore thrive under different conditions in cultivation although it is not likely to survive very severe frost.

Ecology

The flowers of this species are deceptive and offer no nectar or other reward to the pollinating insect. Pollinators are large carpenter bees (Xylocopa sp.)

I have seen these Giant Carpenter Bees Xylocopa flavorufa pollinating my plants at Mount Moreland

Cultural uses

Root infusions of Eulophia speciosa are prepared as emetics for both humans and animals. In traditional medicine, emetics are widely used to facilitate the removal of what is thought to be the cause of the ailment.

Eulophia speciosa plants are also used as a protective charm against storms.

It is reported that Eulophia speciosa bulbs are a favoured food of local people within the plants native range, and are extensively harvested from the wild for local use.

Often eaten raw, sometimes with a little salt, as soon as it is harvested, the bulb is also mashed up and mixed with other raw food plants such as Talinum spp., Dipcadi glaucum and Kedrostis foetidissima. The pounded roots are also added to soups and sauces

Growing Eulophia speciosa

I have grown Eulophia speciosa for about the last 50 years and have found them easy to grow keep an eye on them but be aware that too much care can kill them.

Eulophia speciosa is often a pioneer plant generally on poor sandy soils near the coast in its natural habitat which matures to flowering size in between two and three years depending on conditions.

Over the last few years I have trialled these plants as green roof plants with great success under conditions where they only receive natural rainfall mostly in the summer months. I trials they have proved to be most suitable for growing on extensive green roofs that receive little maintenance and supplemental watering.

Eulophia speciosa are best grown in pots of large growing containers where they are safe from attack by mole rats or planted out in garden beds where they will need to be carefully monitored for attack by mole rats. If mole rats find them then they will probably need to be lifted and put into containers because once found the mole rats will not leave until they have eaten the last bulb. Eulophia speciosa needs to grow in full sun for much of the day to flower well and to remain healthy.

In the growing period, the substrate should be fairly moist, but a constantly wet soil must be avoided. Plants are best transplanted and divided in the dormant season, and should be potted. Eulophia speciosa are to some degree dependent on their mycorrhiza fungus species but it is certainly not necessary to inoculate the potting medium with mycorrhiza fungus because the roots of the plants will already have their populations living within them.

Suitable drainage must be provided to prevent water logging in times of prolonged heavy rain to avoid rotting of the roots. Regular watering should not be needed, only during periods of drought will they need additional watering. An annual topdressing with well rotted leaf mould or bark compost mixed with a little slow release fertiliser and a little lime is essential for healthy sustained growth of the plants. Occasional feeding with a liquid fertilizer during the growing season will do no harm but do not overdo it or the plants will become weak and will be far more susceptible to bacterial rot and fungus attack. 

Although Eulophia speciosa has great hybridizing potential I strongly discourage doing so because of the possible contamination of wild specimens.

The simplest way to propagate Eulophia speciosa is by division of dormant back bulbs which are removed leaving three healthy pseudo bulbs for continued growth.

To produce large numbers of plants in a short period of time propagation will need to be done by means of planting seed. Practically every flower will produce viable seed pods if hand pollinated regardless if they are self or cross pollinated, but do not overdo or the plants will become weakened by the effort of producing too larger amount of seed, 5 seed pods per plant should be fine.

The seed can then be grown in vitro in a suitable growing structure with ease if suitable equipment is at hand, otherwise you can simply do what I have done for years and that is to simply plant the seed in prepared seed beds which I have done over the years with a good degree of success. I also find many seedlings that just pop up in the garden from time to time from seed that my plants produce.

Young healthy plants flower about 2-4 years after sowing.

Some of many Eulophia speciosa plants undergoing suitability trails as green roof plants on one of my roofs at Mount Moreland

Pests and diseases

A number of pests feed on Eulophia speciosa such as leaf miners and the yellow orchid beetle Lema pectoralis which do a large amount of damage to the plants if not dealt with promptly.

Yellow orchid beetle Lema pectoralis

Bacterial rot due to over watering, watering during the dormant season, crowding and insufficient air circulation can be a problem. If planted out in large numbers in garden beds, the plants most probably will eventually be eaten by mole rats that feed on the pseudo bulbs. If the Mole rats find them then they will have to be lifted to be placed in containers or they will eat every last one.

Landscape uses

Eulophia speciosa is a very showy and desirable plant to include in any landscape design or garden.

Eulophia speciosa makes a good container plant for the patio and brings colour and life to the green roof be it big or small.

General Information

Eulophia speciosa is the floral emblem of the South African Orchid Council http://www.saoc.co.za/

Michael Hickman

Landscape Design Specialist

www.ecoman.co.za

michael@ecoman.co.za

18.04.14

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Hibiscus surattensis

Bush Sorrel

Isigezo , Ucathucathu , Uvemvane (z)

French: Liane oseille

Hibiscus surattensis is generally widespread throughout the Old World tropics being and in South Africa where it occurs in KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga.

Description

Hibiscus surattensis is an annual herbaceous, trailing or scrambling plant of moist waste places, covered with soft hairs and scattered prickles.

Landscape value

This most delightful plant due to the profusion of bright yellow flowers that it produces in profusion in autumn has great potential to be grown in less formal indigenous landscapes that are designed with high plant diversity to attract the maximum of wildlife. I makes a nice bright addition to any landscape or garden where it has been used.

Uses

The plant is rich in mucilage. It is often cultivated for the mucilaginous leaves which are eaten in soup or as a vegetable

Plant yields a fiber of good quality.

Traditional Medicinal uses: 

In Senegal the plant is used as an emollient. Zulus use a lotion of the leaf and stem for the treatment of penile irritation of any sort, including venereal sores and urethritis. It is sometimes applied as an ointment for the same purposes. An infusion is also used as an injection into the urethra and vagina for gonorrhoea and other inflammations.

Ecology

Hibiscus surattensis occurs in grassland and at forest edges in lowland and at medium altitudes up to 1700 m, in regions with an average annual rainfall of 1000–1600 mm. It also occurs in marshes, abandoned fields and plantations, on waste ground near habitation, and in coastal habitats such as sand dunes. It is found on a wide variety of soil types.

Ecological significance

Visited by bees and small flies browsed by game

Michael Hickman

Landscape Design Specialist

www.ecoman.co.za

michael@ecoman.co.za

15.04.14

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A garden without wildlife is hardly a garden at all

Ever changing ever new

Our average affluent north Durban suburban garden owner has the most  uninteresting sterile garden possible planted to a very limited number of sterile unchanging plants such as Philodendron selloum cv. Xanadu, bright coloured crotons Codiaeum variegatum, dust collecting Dianella tasmanica variegata, Ophiopogon japonica, Ophiopogon jaburan variegata a never changing boring landscape. Masses of boring single straight stemmed palms, yellow leaved Duranta erecta Sheena's Gold ™ which have been trimmed into hedges, balls and who knows what, to me a plant that is this colour is  critically ill and needs to be removed. All to be finished of with horrible gaudy purple border bedding plants such as purple setcreasea Tradescantia pallida and Rheoe Tradescantia spathacea

Croton Codiaeum variegatum

The Croton Codiaeum variegatum above is very clearly a magnificent plant that has its uses but it never changes how it looks which in time becomes overpowering and boring and in particular it is sterile, it attracts no wildlife at all it could very easily be replaced in the garden with an identical copy made of plastic and few if any people would be any the wiser. These magnificently colourful plants most certainly do not bring life into the garden.

Change and variety are the spices of life and that applies in particular when planning a garden either exotic or indigenous if one would like to create tranquillity in the garden and to provide the greatest of benefit for the user and observer.

In a Proudly South African living garden planted to our local South African plants there are never two days that are the same, it is ever changing, ever interesting, the  bright yellow bloom of a Hibiscus calyphyllus or Hibiscus surattensis here this morning gone this afternoon a flush of blooms the following day.

 

Hibiscus surattensis  bright and beautiful ever changing never the same.

Dietes grandiflora and Dietes iridioides which come to their full glory for a single day in the spring and early summer months after a drop in atmospheric pressure, then wait for the next drop in pressure to repeat the spectacle. A blaze of blue from the Agapanthus Agapanthus praecox spp.orientalis for a few weeks during midsummer, a blaze of orange from the aloes during the winter to be followed by a blaze of red from the coral tree Erythrina lysistemon announcing the early spring that attract birds and insect 

A brightly coloured butterfly here and brightly coloured bird over there plucking a bright berry from a Psychotria capensis bush. A brightly coloured carpenter bee sucking nectar from the flower of a Justicia betonica, dragonflies doing their amazing aerial displays, interesting and brightly insects every where.

A brightly coloured carpenter bee Xylocopa caffra sucking nectar from the flower of a Justicia betonica

A bright coloured bird flying overhead to alight and pluck a bright red berry from a Psychotria capensis in full fruit in the winter. An interesting and colourful bug sitting on a flower, interesting colourful insects everywhere you look in the garden. A Striped Skink Trachylepsis striata sunning its self on a stone and one up on the roof garden waiting for a fat fly to pass by, a blue headed tree agama Acanthocercus atricollis sunning itself on the trunk of a tree

A spectacled Weaver Ploceus ocularis building its nest on a Strelitzia tree Strelitzia nicolai outside my kitchen door.

These things are seldom seen and experienced in your regular traditional Durban garden with its mostly sterile tropical and subtropical plants that appear to never change from season to season, day to day, week to week, year to year, never changing always the same. Many of these gardens may just as well be made of brightly coloured plastic and concrete for all the life that they bring into the garden. Well manicured bright un-natural colours, coarse textures.

  

A well designed garden planted exclusively to our local indigenous plants will be green and tranquil full of interest, full of beauty, with green that comes in every texture, form and shade is ever changing ever new. Every day there is a new surprise, as flower buds burst open to expose a splash of brilliant colour, sometimes lasting only a few hours and sometimes weeks on end then back to the tranquillity of green to soothe the soul.

A very easy plant to propagate and to grow is this magnificent pendulous Gladiolus cruentus a rare critically endangered local gem seldom if ever seen in cultivation in South Africa

A brightly coloured sun bird gently alights on a leonotis intermedia to sip nectar before flitting off to another brightly coloured plant or to hawk a passing insect in mid air.

During the day bright orange paradise flycatchers with their long tail feathers dart out under the canopies of the trees to catch a passing fly and as the sun dips its head below the horizon tiny little bats appear doing tight aerobatics under the same trees to hawk the insects that they feed on.

I look out the window and see a bright coloured Locust Zonocerus elegans which feeds on the milk weed plant Gomphocarpus physocarpus which is also the host plant to the African Monarch Butterfly.

A bright coloured Locust Zonocerus elegans resting on the flower of a grass aloe, Aloe cooperii

A bronze back manikin alights on a grass stem to pluck a seed head of Panicum maximum to build his nest,  later I see him return to collect the fluffy flower heads of natal redtop grass Melinis repens to line it with.

A bright red African Fire Finch arrives on the ground just outside my kitchen door to look for seed and insects.

African Fire Finch Lagonosticta rubricata

The sound of the Crested Barbet that has his home in a nest box I placed in a tree directly opposite my kitchen window only a few metres away, the sound of  Painted Reed Frogs in a small pond of arums in the evening a garden which is a haven for wildlife in all its forms both day and night with interest without end, is this not what a garden should be.

Painted Reed Frog Hyperolius marmoratus

To maximise the life in a garden it must be planned with as large a variety of interesting local plants to create habitat, which provides shelter, breeding and feeding opportunities for all manner of creatures both great and small. Thereafter we need to do little more to encourage life into our gardens, if the conditions are right wildlife will come and stay of its own. The bigger the variety of plants and habitat types the greater the numbers of creatures that will be attracted. The garden must have water, it must have lawn to serve as green pathways and to separate the different elements of the garden. Do not forget a bench here a table and chairs there so that one can sit and relax and enjoy the garden and its wildlife.

African Monarch butterfly Danaus chrysippus on the flower of it´s host plant the Milk Weed Gomphocarpus physocarpus

There is no reason why a garden that is maximised for wildlife should not be planned and planted to the highest standards of landscape design incorporating only our local plants and a slightly different order to what has traditionally been accepted here in South Africa and much of the world.

When it comes to maintenance the garden must still be well manicured just as the sterile traditional garden in particular at the entrance and near to the house but it will need to be a slightly different order, the beds will still need to be edged, the lawn mowed and the weeds removed, no one wants to be greeted by a mess. However the maintenance must not show a misguided sense of order it must not be carried out with sensitivity and not to the detriment of the life in the garden.

All the photos that I used in this article have been taken in my own garden at Mount Moreland north of Durban.

Michael Hickman

Landscape Design Specialist

www.ecoman.co.za

michael@ecoman.co.za

05.04.14

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Green roofs bring nature back into your life

Green or living roofs can be designed to be planted onto almost any structure big or small commercial or residential.

If pictures tell more than a thousand words then the pictures that follow certainly tell it all

Here I am sitting on the roof of a five storey building considering what to write about green roofs on this Blog which to many may be hard to believe at first.

Over to the right you can see the bench that I was sitting on with a magnificent natural pond in front of it.

Here is a view of the path leading to the pond in the photo above through a beautifully natural garden planted entirely to locally occurring South African plants. From seeing the photos it is hard to believe that I could possibly be on the roof of a five storey building.

Below provision has been made for an open area to allow for those attending functions to spill out on to the lawn and to enjoy the view of the area.

This Green Roof at 29 Degrees South which is planted exclusively to our local floral treasures is a very fine  example of what can be done when there is the ethic and the will to bring nature together in harmony with man in the design of our buildings and our living and working environments. This is a very good case of leading by example, hopefully and example that many will follow in preserving our natural heritage by combining our unique South African flora and fauna into our urban developments. In this way we can become trend setters leading the world by example.

All the  photos of the green roofs so far have been taken on the green roof of  29degrees South a five story building which was designed for and houses the head office of Dube TradePort which is situated right next to the new King Shaka International Airport north of Durban. 

A very different style of green roof has been created using a large number of local plant species that grow in rocky places and in grassland on very shallow soils to create a bio-diverse Green Roof. This Bio-Diverse Green Roof which I designed and planted to bring the maximum bio-diversity possible is on a government office building at Ixopo in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands

Below is a bio-diverse green roof that I designed and planted on the sand pumping station on the Durban beach front at the entrance to Durban harbour. The plants on this roof are exposed to very extreme conditions caused by the strong salt laden north easterly winds that blow in this particular totally unprotected location.

Below is an example of what can be done by the average home owner on a very small scale around your own home to add interest. The small green roof has purposely not been completed at this stage to be able to show the construction details. When designing and completing your own green roof a cladding will need to be added to hide the growing trays as have been used in this design or to contain the growing medium if no trays are used to make it look finished.

You can create the same effect when planing your next hotel; office park, factory, home, garage or other construction project. It is clearly well worth considering creating a living roof in place of a sterile tile, iron or concrete one all it needs is a little imagination and forward planning on your part and the part of your design team.

The building of a Green roof is a good way to increase the Bio-diversity and interest a of a boring sterile site as in the photo below, in addition green roofs are often good places to grow many plants that do not grow well in deep soils or where there is competition from other plants growing nearby.

Having a green roof can bring nature into direct contact with our offices and dwellings where it can be observed with great ease.

A green roof can merge the landscape with the structures we create in a seamless manner bringing the landscape design right up to onto and into our living spaces.

Green roofs soften the look of our structures and gives them life, they also lessen our impact on the natural environment in which we live in many ways.

The example has been set it is now up to you the reader whether you are an architect, a landscape architect, a property developer or a home owner to take the lead and carry it a step further every one can do there bit.

The Ecoman Green Team Hlengiwe and Michael on a green roof we designed and planted for the eThekwini Municipality in Durban a few years ago.

For those wanting to know a little more about green roofs go to; An Introduction to Designing Green Roofs in South Africa their design, construction and care at my website at

http://ecoman.co.za//green/roof_greening.html if you still need to know more simply write to me at

michael@ecoman.co.za

Michael Hickman
03.14.14