Yarra Ranges Council is reminding locals that now is the best time to manage invasive agapanthus.
The best time to remove agapanthus is from March to May, before seeds are fully formed.
While they’re pretty, these plants prove to cause some damage to native flora, attracting large numbers of snails and slugs and can tolerate a wide range of conditions from damp to very dry.
Here are the best ways to remove agapanthus:
Pull them out by hand, grabbing at the roots.
Spray with herbicide (be sure to check the label and follow instructions).
Dig them out – just avoid dumping soil elsewhere as this will spread the weed further.
Many shrub alternatives indigenous to the Yarra Ranges region make great substitutes for Agapanthus.
Some alternatives include the spiny mat rush and the butterfly flag.
