Nineteenth Australasian Weeds Conference Controlling desert ash (Fraxinus angustifolia subsp. angustifolia): have we found the silver bullet? Tony M. Dugdale, Trevor D. Hunt and Daniel Clements Department of Environment and Primary Industries, Biosciences Research Division, AgriBiosciences Centre, 5 Ring Road, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria 3083, Australia (
[email protected]) Summary Desert ash (Fraxinus angustifolia Vahl. New South Wales (Blood 2001), and is also recorded subsp. angustifolia, Oleaceae) is a weedy deciduous from Western Australia and Tasmania (CHAH 2014). tree in south-eastern Australia, particularly in riparian The largest infestations are currently located around situations. It reproduces by seed and by root suckers Melbourne, central Victoria and Adelaide. It pro- and can form monocultures displacing desirable na- duces many single seeded winged fruit (samara) which tive shrubs and trees. Very little published information spread from ornamental or streetscape plantings into is available regarding suitable control methods and creeks and river systems, wetlands, urban bushland, anecdotal reports of the effectiveness of herbicides lowland grasslands and grassy woodlands. It is typi- are variable. We conducted two trials to determine cal to find a stand or row of desert ash planted along the effectiveness of herbicides to control desert ash. a driveway, beside a road or street at the upstream From the first screening trial picloram and triclopyr end of an infestation along a watercourse (author’s + picloram were excluded, and the herbicides glypho- observations). sate, glyphosate + metsulfuron-methyl, metsulfuron- Very little published information is available methyl alone at two rates and triclopyr ester were regarding suitable control methods, and anecdotal tested further.