Himalayan Balsam - Bad or Good?

[x1franpl]

Here's a contentious blog I wrote a few years ago - but still valid?

https://www.pleszak.com/blog/in-support-of-the-dreaded-himalayan-balsam

 

[enrico]

Depends if you are an apiarist or a botanist I suppose!
E

 

[Karsal]

Here's a contentious blog I wrote a few years ago - but still valid?

https://www.pleszak.com/blog/in-support-of-the-dreaded-himalayan-balsam

Bl**dy marvelous for my bees!!
They can walk into a full hillside covered in Himalayan Balsam and fiil their boots!
As for ruining our flora alongside riverbanks and through woodland its the scourge of the countryside.

 

[Beefriendly]

They are currently testing some specific fungal diseases of Balsam. Time will tell if they work.
Over reaction by many...adding a voice to a trendy hated foreign invader!!, Needs controlling in certain specific areas on rivers where lack of vegetation in winter may cause excessive erosion when it has died down. These are easily identified.
Bees love it and I'm an angler as well....
Schizophrenic .....

 

[Curly green fingers]

Here's a contentious blog I wrote a few years ago - but still valid?

https://www.pleszak.com/blog/in-support-of-the-dreaded-himalayan-balsam

Nice to see some one so very interested in one plant. I'm sorry but I'm not in favour.
Hasn't this country got enough invasive species of plant Rhododendron Japanese knotweed and the like!
Bring on the rust!

 

[Beefriendly]

I'm sorry but I'm not in favour.

No need to apologise...it's a divisive invader. There are many.
I tend to be pragmatic, they are here, they aren't going to go away. Learn how to deal/live with them.
We will at some point end up with small hive beetle and also Asian Hornet. The later may be already here; albeit currently undetected.
We will have to learn how to deal with them. Fortunately lots of information about Asian Hornets from those already in the "front line".

 

[Curly green fingers]

Fair point b I'm not sure if this is fact or not but isn't there trial's going on with rust fungi, to try and slow HB down.
I've been watching country file again !

 

[Beefriendly]

Yes, see post 4 in this thread.
This may not be the most up to date findings but gives some idea.
https://www.cabi.org/news-and-media...us-to-control-invasive-weed-himalayan-balsam/

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Fair point b I'm not sure if this is fact or not but isn't there trial's going on with rust fungi, to try and slow HB down.
I've been watching country file again !

Cane toads anyone?
The rust fungus may well be initially effective but given time and evolution the long term situation may vary.

 

[Curley]

Cane toads anyone?
The rust fungus may well be initially effective but given time and evolution the long term situation may vary.

I agree - biological controls need to be used with extreme caution.

 

[coffindodger]

I too worry about letting a biological agent loose, especially a fungus in a rapidly changing climate. Potato blight couldn't happen again. Could it?

Look at this research summary:
" We tested the safety of this Himalayan balsam rust following strict internationally recognized testing procedures. We compiled a test plant list comprising 84 plants; this consisted of 74 species and an additional 10 varieties of three widely grown ornamental species in the UK. On the list were 26 native plant species to the UK, 52 ornamental plants, three economically important crop/ fruit species and three introduced/ invasive species. This safety testing showed that the rust is highly specific to Himalayan balsam."
84 plants out of over 2900 species in UK?
No mention of testing on insects or mammals - have they not heard of farmer's lung, chalkbrood, etc??

 

[Finman]

I agree - biological controls need to be used with extreme caution.

British Isles are full of foreign plants. I wonder why you hate some.

And British companies have a good business to sell seeds from every part of the world.

A new blue balsam was discovered from Himalayan valley 10 years ago, but none of seeds germinated, when I bought them.
.

 

[Stiffy]

British Isles are full of foreign plants. I wonder why you hate some.

And British companies have a good business to sell seeds from every part of the world.

A new blue balsam was discovered from Himalayan valley 10 years ago, but none of seeds germinated, when I bought them.
.

Himalayan balsam is a dreadful intensly invasive plant and if you allow it to spread you could get a £5000 fine and or six months in prison. I find it amusing how beekeepers are selective on what is or not welcome to be in the UK.
S

 

[Stiffy]

I too worry about letting a biological agent loose, especially a fungus in a rapidly changing climate. Potato blight couldn't happen again. Could it?

Look at this research summary:
" We tested the safety of this Himalayan balsam rust following strict internationally recognized testing procedures. We compiled a test plant list comprising 84 plants; this consisted of 74 species and an additional 10 varieties of three widely grown ornamental species in the UK. On the list were 26 native plant species to the UK, 52 ornamental plants, three economically important crop/ fruit species and three introduced/ invasive species. This safety testing showed that the rust is highly specific to Himalayan balsam."
84 plants out of over 2900 species in UK?
No mention of testing on insects or mammals - have they not heard of farmer's lung, chalkbrood, etc??

I work closely with someone trying to use biogical methods to destroy Japanese knotweed, you would be amazed at the hoops you have to jump through to try it, and quite rightly too.
S

 

[Hivemaker.]

Himalayan balsam is a dreadful intensly invasive plant and if you allow it to spread you could get a £5000 fine and or six months in prison.

Steve, I also read about those fines...the Himalayan balsam and Knot weed also grows on a lot of national trust and council owned land but never hear of any of them being fined or sent to prison, so wonder why that is?

 

[Stiffy]

Steve, I also read about those fines...the Himalayan balsam and Knot weed also grows on a lot of national trust and council owned land but never hear of any of them being fined or sent to prison, so wonder why that is?

Pete, they are like a lot of laws that are not enforced. Just needs the likes of us to transgress them and then see how the law is suddenly relevant.
S

 

[MartinL]

Surely it can be easily pulled up (by righteous activist-volunteers) without the need of Local Authorities spending excessive amounts on poisoning the water courses just to be PC with Balsam?

 

[SDM]

Surely it can be easily pulled up (by righteous activist-volunteers) without the need of Local Authorities spending excessive amounts on poisoning the water courses just to be PC with Balsam?

Yep, a few areas locally have been successfully cleared.

 

[Into the lions den]

Yep, a few areas locally have been successfully cleared.

Some areas here have tried it too, only for the cleared areas to get taken over by Comfrey.....another plant from abroad, which strangely they seem to accept, then 3 years later the balsam is all back.

 

[SDM]

5yrs clear. now for the 2 areas I helped clear and last year was the first year we didn't go back to check for stragglers officially, though I'm sure I'm not the only one who did check
Both were pretty small areas maybe 100m wide and 3 or 400m long before they hit the beach, so not on the scale of something like the Conwy valley. I'm not saying it's an easy task but nothing like trying to clear rhododendron.