Pipturus argenteus as a Lantana replacement (forum)

brad16 starts with ...
Does anyone have any experience with Pipturus argenteus (Native Mulberry), in particular, growing in the ground (as opposed to a pot)?

I'm considering using it as ground cover in areas where I'm attempting to get rid of lantana and madeira vine and am concerned about replacing one problem weed with another.

The reasons I'm considering Pipturus argenteus is:

1. It's apparently native to the area where it will be planted (northern NSW).

2. Fast growing.

3. Good ground coverage.

4. I won't knock back a novelty snack if I'm wandering through the area.

Being part of the nettle family and producing lots of seed on bird attracting fruit, it seems to me to be very much like the Lantana I'm trying to shoulder out. I think the main difference is that Lantana is more clumpy and roots from runners. It appears to me that Pipturus is more shrubby and possibly doesn't have the runner problem.

I haven't found it being listed as an Australian weed (for example here http://www.cqclandcarenetwork.org.au/plants-database/pipturus-argenteus) and most info I find on the web is just about showcasing the fruit. I'm more interested in it's growth habit and potential weed problem (if one exists).

It seems fine and I'm just about settled on it since it apparently occurs naturally in northern NSW anyway, hence I wouldn't be introducing it to the area. I'm just hesitant because I'd like to bop the person on the nose who introduced lantana and medeira vine to the area. I don't want to be that person some years down the track with Pipturus argenteus.

Thoughts?

Time: 3rd October 2016 6:03pm

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Pademelon1 says...
Hi Brad,

I haven't grown this plant, so I don't have first-hand knowledge, but I'm interested in bushtucker and so have researched it extensively in the past.

To try to answer your queries:

1) It is naturally found growing from Lismore northwards.

2) It is very fast growing (potentially weedy in this respect), especially in disturbed soils.

3) It does offer good coverage, but is really more of a shrub/small tree in form, and can reach up to 8m tall!

4) Fruits are reputedly sweet and tasty, but are quite variable in taste. The fruits are prolific, but are a favourite for birds, allowing it to be readily spread. (consider it's large range across indonesia & the solomon islands)

Overall: Grows as a shrub rather than ground-cover (form is nothing like lantana). It shouldn't be excessively weedy in the ground opposed to pot, but may still pose a significant weed threat by wildlife spreading it.
If you are intending to grow it for foliage rather than fruit, I would get something else as it has a semi-weedy appearance and may not match your intended role.

Hope this helped,
Pademelon1

Time: 4th October 2016 1:38pm

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brad16 says...
Hi Pademelon1. Yeah how good is bushtucker, though I have a pretty big vegetative task in mind for this one. It's intended role is to act as a pioneer species in a reforestation project. I'm figuring it will have reasonably dense and vigorous growth, but not be invasive (well, not in northern NSW anyway). I don't see this vegetatively spreading like lantana and madeira do. It apparently takes up to 10 years to produce viable seed and has a lifecycle of around 15 years. So it would only be producing seed for less than half its life. It also has a mortality rate higher than 70% when fire scorches 100% of its leaves. That hints to me that it is more fragile and hence more manageable than lantana (which requires a hot burn to achieve those mortality rates). Lantana also sets seed much earlier in its lifecycle and the seed remains viable for a few years (I don't know how long Pipturus seed remain viable).
I agree that its weedy appearance would have it pulled out of the average backyard garden, but I'm not looking at it aesthetically.
Thanks Pademelon1 for your comments. I'm glad that I'm not the only one who looked at it and thought 'hmmm ... you look like a weed'.
I'll have to take a look around the area. Who knows, there may already be some Pipturus around, though I've never noticed it (or at least recognised it).
If any one has seen Pipturus argenteus (Native Mulberry) taking over a paddock/park/backyard/garden, I'd really like to know about it.

Thanks all.

Time: 6th October 2016 4:56am

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Mike Tr says...
They are a common and short lived pioneer here sometimes called white mulberry. A favourite with birds, phasmids including macleays spectres and larval host of several butterflies and moths it is favoured in reveg. as an early succession species to around 10m but usually smaller. They like rocky areas and sunny stream banks and wont take over a paddock. Wood is soft and brittle and the serrated hirsute foliage is anjoyed by grasshoppers.They are not primary species so follow up planting is needed.

Time: 7th October 2016 3:53pm

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About the Author Mike Tr
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brad16 says...
Thanks Mike. That's very good info. You've highlighted the very environment that they would be used in. I'm trying to clean up areas around rocky creeks, in particular the banks where two creeks meet. I get a lot of weed seed from the state forest upstream and need to quickly veg it up as the weeds are removed, otherwise I get even more weeds. Knowing that they won't take over a paddock and will require follow up planting gives me confidence that they will not become weedy themselves, and that is exactly what I'm after.
Thanks again.

Time: 10th October 2016 10:27am

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