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The Federal Council is adapting the release regulation for invasive neophytes.
In Switzerland there are around 4,000 different native wild plants and around 750 neophytes, i.e. exotic plants. Some of these neophytes are invasive and therefore harmful to the native nature. As of September 1, 2024, the Federal Council will prohibit placing more than two dozen of them on the market.
Legend: Cherry laurel is one of the invasive exotic plants. If the cherry laurel remained in private gardens, it would not be of any use to nature, but it would not harass it either. In the forest, however, it takes up space for native plants. Keystone / Urs Flüeler
The adjustment of the so-called release regulation is intended to prevent additional invasive neophytes from entering the environment and spreading there. The import, sale or giving away of these 31 plants on the list are prohibited.
Cherry laurel hedge, the DNA of Swiss gardens
“In Swiss gardens, cherry laurel is the best-known hedge plant with the greatest distribution,” says Johannes Zulauf, co-managing director of Zulauf AG, a tree nursery and garden center in Schinznach Dorf (AG). “It’s basically their DNA.”
It is evergreen, easy to care for and does not let in prying eyes from neighbors and passers-by. In addition, it is less susceptible to pests, in contrast to the native boxwood. Unlike other evergreen neophytes, which do not bring anything to the local nature but do not harm it either, the cherry laurel is highly problematic, says Johannes Zulauf.
Invasive exotic plants harm native flora
Invasive means: The plant spreads quickly. Cherry laurel does not stay in the garden, but spreads into the forests. Cherry laurel grows close together, crowding out native plants and making the forest less able to regenerate.
The aim of the Federal Council’s adjustment of the release regulation is to prevent exactly this. This step also corresponds to the objectives of Switzerland’s strategy on invasive alien species.
Buddleia
Buddleia is one of the well-known invasive exotic plants. It is popular in Swiss gardens because it attracts butterflies to the garden.
Legend: Buddleia is beautiful and useless Buddleia attracts butterflies. However, they cannot use their nectar. Buddleia also crowds out native plants. Keystone / Urs Flüeler
The big problem with buddleia, however, is that butterflies cannot absorb its nectar.
The Ticino palm tree is a big problem in Ticino
Along with grottos, wine and great landscapes, the Ticino palm tree is part of the Ticino image par excellence. Nevertheless, the palm tree in southern Switzerland is a foreign body, an invasive exotic plant, and a highly problematic one at that. It spreads quickly and settles in the Ticino forests. With its large compartments, it takes away sunlight from the native plants. These wither away or even no longer grow. Even if the Ticino palm is not yet a problem in northern Switzerland, the ban also applies there.
Guaranteed ownership
The new regulation from September 1st does not mean that garden owners have to pull out and dispose of cherry laurel, buddleia and other invasive neophytes on the list that are already growing in their gardens. Ownership is guaranteed. Originally, the Federal Council had not only planned an import and sales ban, but also wanted garden owners to have to eradicate these plants from their gardens, under threat of punishment if these instructions were not followed. However, a consultation in 2019 as part of the revision of the Environmental Protection Act met with great resistance from the cantons, which is why this passage was dropped.
2024-03-06 03:20:44
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