Watsonia meriana bulbilifera
Mary Sue Ittner (Tue, 12 Aug 2003 07:32:33 PDT)

Dear All,

Last week we were able to drive by one of the weedy public patches of
Watsonia that I mentioned earlier. We didn't get a chance to stop and take
a picture until we were on our way home and then it was late in the day and
not everything is in focus. But you can see the potential problem with this
species when you look at all those bulbils on one stalk! Think of them all
falling off and extending in all directions. They can root right on top of
the soil. I was paying attention as we drove and there are some really bad
patches next to the highway and other places where they are only a few
plants now, but will be hundreds in years to come. These pictures were
taken right along Highway One next to Salt Point State Park. I added the
text below and pictures to the wiki:

Watsonia meriana ssp. bulbilifera produces bubils in the leaf axis and in
the right climate can become a big pest as it has in coastal northern
California. These two photos by Bob Rutemoeller although not very clear
show the large number of bubils and the drying foliage which makes an ugly
and ever extending display along Highway One in Sonoma and Mendocino Counties.
http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/files/…
http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/files/…

Roy, if your plants did not produce these bubils maybe what you have is not
the problem plant.

Mary Sue