Rhododendron ponticum, a forest diversity threat

23rd October 2017

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This pretty evergreen plant invades the lower tier of the forest, stopping any other plants growing because of the dense shade it creates. Useless to birds for nesting, the ponticum is not a source of food for the forest fauna either. It reduces and unbalances the diversity of a forest. Once established, the clearance of this thug is a mammoth job involving cutting the stems at ground level to remove the plant completely. The stumps big enough to be drilled are treated with Ecoplugs (TradeMark) for elimination of the root system by glyphosate.