Maybe they are vicious

[enrico]

 

[Sutty]

Worried someone will be injured by a flying seed!
Nanny state!

 

[Richard]

I can only assume they don't want people thinking "oooh, that's a pretty plant" and collecting seeds/rooted plants to plant elsewhere.

 

[Murox]

Its real name is Triffidus celestus. HB is just so the locals don't worry.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

sensible precaution I would say - apart from seeds fired from the pods can't half sting especially if caught in the eye (been there done that) if people brush against the plants then they are going to get seeds caught in their clothing and goodness knows where they could end up. I'm fairly certain that the origin of the invasion on our river was one of the members fishing on the confluence of the river Twrch and Cothi (some twenty odd miles away and definitely 'ground zero' in that area) then coming back to fish locally at the end of the season

 

[Sutty]

sensible precaution I would say - apart from seeds fired from the pods can't half sting especially if caught in the eye (been there done that) if people brush against the plants then they are going to get seeds caught in their clothing and goodness knows where they could end up. I'm fairly certain that the origin of the invasion on our river was one of the members fishing on the confluence of the river Twrch and Cothi (some twenty odd miles away and definitely 'ground zero' in that area) then coming back to fish locally at the end of the season

That's a reasonable point, though putting up a fence and sign was probably more effort than pulling them all up - they are very easy to uproot.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

putting up a fence and sign was probably more effort than pulling them all up - they are very easy to uproot.

pretty pointless exercise that can do more harm than good if you let them flower before ripping them up - the work has to be done early season before they flower, then regular returns to pick up the later germinators when they come through

 

[enrico]

pretty pointless exercise that can do more harm than good if you let them flower before ripping them up - the work has to be done early season before they flower, then regular returns to pick up the later germinators when they come through

Ironically the signs were put up by the environment agency. They are strengthening the areas on the river where the flood waters come over. This is just part of a huge and expensive scheme. They are laying concrete which has to be exactly level. It is about 12 feet wide and 200 yds long. They have done about a 10th of it so far and in Autumn it will flood. Quite what will happen if they haven't finished god only knows. The area where the balsam is is on the flood plains and will be 6 feet under water in winter. Should spread the seed remarkably well

 

[fizzle]

Those bees with the varroa look good

 

[Garry R]

Is that a warning to humans or to the literate bees pollinating it and aid the spread by producing viable seed? It's going to spread come what may. Won't be eradicated just controlled. eg hogweed, ragwort, buttercups, knotweed, bindweed - the list goes on.

 

[Bryang]

I read somewhere that Himalayan Balsam, when it grows in large "clumps" can be cross pollinated by the wind..