Ludwigia Peruviana

About Ludwigia Peruviana:

• It is popularly called primrose willow, Ludwigia Peruviana, is a native of Central and South America.
• Its flower is pale yellowish in colour and the plant grows to a height of about 12 feet.
• It is an aquatic plant, which is now challenging the existence of local vegetation in various swampy areas around the world.
• The rapid large-scale spread of the weed — which was probably introduced as an ornamental plant for its tiny yellow flowers
• It grows faster in wetlands than other harmful weeds.
• The pre-monsoon temperature and monsoon rains help this weed grow faster.
• It has shaken the balance of these perennial foraging grounds, limiting the growth of grass and native plants that are palatable to elephants and other animals including gaur.
• It is among the 22 priority invasive plants in Tamil Nadu.
• Unlike other invasive plants, Ludwigia poses a unique challenge as it grows in swamps and there is little scope to use machinery which may further destroy the ecosystem.
• Even if Ludwigia is pulled out manually, the soft plant easily breaks and it spreads again from the root or broken stems that fall in the swamp.