Weeds of Wurundjeri Walk

Botanical Name: heterophylla (Formerly Sollya heterophylla)

Common Name: Bluebell Creeper Origin: SW Western Australia

Photo/Line Drawing:

Habit: Small / with creeping and/or scrambling habit via long flexible ‘twining’ stems. It smothers indigenous by out- competing them for sunlight or strangling them. It also contains toxins that can cause skin irritation and nausea

WWAC Weeds – Bluebell Creeper/Billardiera heterophylla Page 1 of 2

Description: • Drooping blue flowers in clusters up to 10; spring and summer • Green leaves elliptical and 3-5 cm long • The fruit is ‘slug-like’ in appearance and contains seeds in a sticky pulp; green when immature and black when mature

Dispersal: • Seed spread by birds, foxes, possums and possibly ants • Commonly planted in home gardens but is now a problem weed in bushland outside its normal range e.g. the Mornington Peninsula

Location(s) in Wurundjeri Walk: • Occasionally plants are located under trees in semi-shaded areas e.g. the long bed on the northern perimeter of the wetlands

Indigenous look-alikes: Other indigenous climbers and creepers

Weed Management/Control Methods: • Pull up or dig out seedlings and saplings (roots shallow and spreading) – bag & remove (make sure no seed pods left behind) • Herbicide spraying or cutting/scraping stems and swabbing with herbicide (to be carried out by trained ParksWide staff)

This Weed Information Sheet was prepared by Wurundjeri Walk Advisory Committee, supported by a Melbourne Water Community Grant. Wurundjeri Walk Advisory Committee is appointed by Whitehorse Council, Victoria.

WWAC Weeds – Bluebell Creeper/Billardiera heterophylla Page 2 of 2