Residents of Robertson should be on the lookout for an invasive tree species currently growing in the area.<\/p>\n
Hemelboom or Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima), as it is commonly referred to, has been growing profusely in Robertson.<\/p>\n
Vivian Kuiper, a concerned resident in Robertson, first noticed the invasive species a few years ago.<\/p>\n
\n Gazette<\/i> drove with him to a few spots where the plant was growing.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am not an environmentalist, but I am concerned because this plant is not good for the environment,\u201d he said. \u201cIt was growing in my back yard and I had a huge battle on my hands trying to get the roots out.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kuiper said the plant has a terrible smell when crushed.<\/p>\n
A person living opposite the open plot where the tree grows says he also had the same problem. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve got two in my yard,\u201d he says. \u201cOne was here in front of my fence and I threw swimming pool acid on it as well as the one coming out at the back near my drain.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kuiper says he has informed some of the people about the tree as well as the Langeberg Municipality.<\/p>\n
According to the website Invasive SA, the fast growing tree from China can grow up to 20 m high. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt has smooth stems with pale grey bark and twigs that are light chestnut brown, especially in the dormant season. In late spring, clusters of small, yellow-green flowers appear near the tips of branches,\u201d states the website. <\/p>\n
\u201cSeeds are produced on female trees in late summer to early autumn. Fruits are papery, somewhat twisted, winged structures called samaras that are tan to pink-coloured.\u201d<\/p>\n
The tree is a problem in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Gauteng. <\/p>\n
It competes with and has the potential to replace indigenous species.<\/p>\n
A few years ago the City of Cape Town urged residents to be on the lookout for an invasive species of tree emanating from mainland China, known as the \u201cTree of Heaven\u201d. <\/p>\n
Johan van der Merwe, then Mayoral Committee Member for Energy, Environmental and Spatial Planning for the City of Cape Town, said the invasive tree was causing extensive ecological and infrastructural damage.<\/p>\n
He said the tree\u2019s \u201crapid growth and aggressive root system\u201d posed a threat to urban infrastructure, and it produced a chemical known as ailanthone which prevented the growth of other plant species.<\/p>\n
\u201cFurthermore, physical contact with this tree, and particularly the leaves, can lead to skin irritation which, if left untreated, can cause severe itchiness and a persistent rash that is painful and uncomfortable,\u201d Van der Merwe said.<\/p>\n
Residents who have the tree in their yard, or have seen it in the area, should notify the municipality\u2019s Parks and Recreation Department.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Residents of Robertson should be on the lookout for an invasive tree species currently growing in the 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