Wandering Jew

Forest and Bird, Volume 21, Issue 4, 1 November 1990, Page 4

Wandering Jew

ANDERING JEW (Tradescantia fluminensis) is a ground covering plant which forms dense somethering carpets in damp shaded areas of native forest, inhibiting the germination of most other species. In the long term this could cause the demise of many forests due to canopy species not being able to regenerate, allowing other weeds to establish. It is ubiquitous in small lowland forests in warmer areas, but is sensitive to frosts. The succulent nature of the plant’s stem and its ability to grow from any fragment allows wandering Jew to be such a successful weed without setting seed. It is frequently dispersed along waterways. Control Attempts to control wandering Jew have had mixed success. In small areas such as home gardens, rolling up dense patches like a carpet, then hand weeding remaining fragments can be successful. The weed should be either

well composted or burnt. Hens are an effective non-chemical control. Field trials have shown that paraquat is effective, but the danger of using this herbicide is unacceptable. Roundup, with fewer side effects to humans, has been used at 2 percent concentration with a surfactant or glue such as Pulse, and applied with a knapsack in spring. This method has recently cleared the weed in a reserve in the Manawatu area. If wandering Jew has been dispersed along a waterway, trace it to its source and eradicate it there.