r/GardeningAustralia • u/sal011118 • 18h ago
ID and how to remove please 👩🏻🌾 Recommendations wanted
Hi, I’d like an ID on this ground cover, heard it’s not good for some dogs. Also ways to remove it please Brisbane.
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u/bluechilli1 18h ago
It’s a native ground cover. We have it and dogs. Dogs don’t seem to be interested in eating it.
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u/Moo_Kau_Too 17h ago
.. isnt that 'galloping dew'?
it doesnt grow or wander, it gallops along.
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u/Jackgardener67 15h ago
No. It's not Tradescantia, (previous common name was Wandering jew, but that's not used anymore) Google image identifies it as Commelina cyanea or Scurvy weed. And I'll admit Tradescantia is incredibly difficult to eradicate. Solarisation can be an effective method.
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u/pm_me_book_vouchers 15h ago
Do you have experience with solarisation? I'm considering it for part of my garden and would like to hear any advice. I'm thinking getting a black tarp to lay down for a month or so.
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u/Jackgardener67 14h ago
Heavy black plastic, the sort you get from an agricultural supplier. And then seal the edges as much as possible. Rows of bricks or lengths of heavy timber. You do not want wind to blow through and cool things down, lol. Cardboard will do it to some degree, but it will dry and twist in the sun, leaving areas uncovered. Now would be a good time of the year to do it as well.
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u/Pademelon1 13h ago
Clear plastic works better imo, but it's much of a muchness.
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u/Jackgardener67 13h ago
The black absorbs more heat. But I've never done a scientific experiment to compare the two lol.
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u/Pademelon1 13h ago
Clear works like a greenhouse - lets heat in, but not out -> steamed veggies!
But yeah, you'd need an experiment to properly tell the difference
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u/RS92Rally 18h ago
Scurvy weed, native to Aus, but a weed. I pull it all out, it will come back, but just keep pulling it and you will win.
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u/Engineer_Zero 17h ago
If you loosen the soil around it and pull gently, you can pull the root out at each node. It’ll still grow back but take much longer.
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u/Acrobatic_Let8535 18h ago
Apparently, one native ,one weed, difficult ,to tell apart , apart from the flower , which is painful, pull out , ensure u get all the roots - as it u will never be rid of it 😩👍
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u/starbuck3108 18h ago
To be 100% sure you need to show us a close up of the flowers to judge petal size. Also would be helpful to show a close up of the hairs on the sheathe or you can just tell us if they're white or brown in colour.
If the flower petals are all roughly equal size then it is commelina diffusa which is native to eastern Australia. If one petal is significantly smaller than the other two it is the introduced commelina species which is not something you want. Also tell tale sign is if the hairs on the sheathe are brown.
The commelina species are not dangerous to pets. That is wandering Trad which is a completely different plant. Commelina is edible. The native species are excellent ground covers that are beneficial for bees and lizards, they are one of the best slope and erosion stabilisers and the best part is they die back in winter/dry season.