RSPB Scotland has warned that Skunk
Cabbage, an invasive plant species from America, is encroaching on its Insh
Marshes reserve in Scotland, posing a threat to native wild plants.
Karen Sutcliffe, site manager of the
reserve in Strathspey, said: “American Skunk Cabbage is wildly available in
garden centres for use in boggy gardens. However, it can all too easily get
into the wider countryside where it can become an invasive pest. Unfortunately,
it has reached Insh Marshes, where there is a danger of it getting out of hand
and out-competing our native species. Fortunately we have a great team of
volunteers at Insh Marshes who have been working hard to eradicate it from the
reserve. But it’s a big job, as we have to be careful to remove all the roots
and, of course, we would rather spend our time doing other conservation
work.”
She added: “I would ask any gardeners who
have this plant to keep an eye on it and not to let it get into any nearby
watercourses.”
Skunk Cabbage is a close relative of the
familiar Arum Lily, which is native to Britain and a member of the same family,
the Araceae. Skunk Cabbage originates from north-east Asia and western North
America, where it grows in waterlogged areas alongside rivers and lakes, and
produces a strong scent that is very attractive to pollinating insects. The
species outcompetes native wetland plants like Yellow Flag and several reed and
sedge species, and is already established at many sites across England.
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