Weeds of Wurundjeri Walk Botanical Name: Billardiera heterophylla (Formerly Sollya heterophylla) Common Name: Bluebell Creeper Origin: SW Western Australia Photo/Line Drawing: Habit: Small shrub/vine with creeping and/or scrambling habit via long flexible ‘twining’ stems. It smothers indigenous plants 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 plant 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 .