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high. Such a clump is typically
a single plant, as gifblaar has a
huge underground root
system - likened to an
underground tree - and sends
numerous shoots above
ground in favourable conditions. The most obvious above
ground parts are the leaves simple, alternate with initially
fine hairs, but later becoming
smooth. The leaves are bright
green in colour on both sides.
The secondary veins form
loops and do not reach the
margin.
The flowers are small and
white, and occur as dense
clumps in the early spring.
Fruit formation is rare; the
fruits are orange and leathery
and, surprisingly, are not
poisonous.
Unfortunately, gifblaar is easily
confused with a number of
other species, notably the
sand apple or goorappel
Pygmaeothamnus zeyheri,
which looks almost identical
and is found in the same
regions, as well as dwarf
mobola or grysappeltjie
(Parinari capensis) and another
variety of sand apple,
Pygmaeothamnus
chamaedendrum.
Moreover, a number of
species have also been
identified as indicator species,
meaning that if you have
them growing on your land
POISONOUS PLANTS
Gifblaar develops a huge underground
root system, making mechanical
removal ineffective.
there is a good chance that
you may have gifblaar as well.
These include wild seringa
(Burkea africana), peeling
plane or lekkerbreek (Ochna
pulchra) and silver cluster leaf
or vaalboom (Terminalia
sericea).
Mechanical methods of
removal have proven to be
ineffective because of the
be repeated.
Gifblaar-infested camps are
not ungrazeable per se.
plant's extensive root system Nevertheless caution should
be taken and animals should
and the plant's ability to set
roots and regenerate from tiny only be grazed later in the
season, and the camps
fragments left in the soil after
should not be overgrazed.
uprooting it.
Some smallholders prefer to
Research has shown that it is
possible to control gifblaar by fence off infested areas, but
using commercial herbicides, this is not always practicable.
but this is only effective if
there are small numbers of
the plants and application can
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