Warning about invasive plant

Kilcullen Tidy Towns members were given a warning to watch out for the invasive species Japanese Knotwood during a recent seminar given by Kildare County Council, writes Brian Byrne.

KCA chair Niall McDonnell told the group's recent meeting that the plant is now known to be in parts of Kildare, and it is very difficult to eradicate if it takes a foothold.

Celia Travers noted that if the weed was merely cut, it only got stronger. Niall McDonnel said the participants at the seminar were told that in England there are specialist companies and consultants operating full time in dealing with the problem.



On a related matter, Esther Kiely warned that the species Mare's Tail was now endemic around the town, and that people needed to be very careful about accidentally introducing it into their own property.

Celia Travers said that very high concentration of Roundup will kill the weed, but it will nevertheless come back year after year.

Meantime, Ray De Courcy told the meeting that the annual spraying for general weeds in the town had taken place last week, and the results should become apparent within weeks.