Rhododendron War in Scotland

Every last specimen of Rhododendron ponticum in Scotland’s national forests is being rooted out in a major fifteen-year programme aimed at bringing one of the country’s most rampant and troublesome weeds under control.

The Forestry Commission Scotland describes R. ponticum as ‘one of Scotland’s most unwelcome invasive species’, and has set aside £15 million to rid the nation’s forests of the weed.

‘It suffocates habitats, hampers biodiversity, and as if that wasn’t bad enough, it harbours tree-killing Phytophthora species,’ said Commission ecologist Richard Thompson. ‘Getting rid of it would be a real shot in the arm for Scotland’s environment and for forestry.’

It’s thought about 6,500 hectares (16,000 acres) of the Commission’s 660,000 ha (2,500 square miles) estate is currently infested with R. ponticum, decimating local populations of rare plants, particularly liverworts and lichens. It’s hoped the eradication of the weed from the National Forest estate will also help limit the growing number of Scottish cases of the highly virulent pathogen Phytophthora ramorum, devastating to commercial forests and often spread by infected R. ponticum growing nearby.

Detailed surveys are currently under way to determine exactly where the rhododendrons are growing before work begins on systematically removing them. The first phase of work has already started on eradicating plants from the most badly-infested areas on the west coast, including Lochaber and West Argyll.

Source: RHS – Rhododendron War in Scotland

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