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Angled Onion | CW0002 |
Coast Action/Coastcare
August, 2001 |  |
Introduction
Botanical Name: Allium triquetrum
Family: Liliaceae
Origin: West Mediterranean
Distribution
Weed Dispersal
Bulbs and seeds in contaminated soil and garden refuse. Seeds also spread by water and ants.
Indigenous Look-a-likes
Milkmaids Burchardia umbellata
Has no odour, stems not triangular, flowers milky-white, sometimes with a pink tinge.
Identification
Form
HERB- Bulbous perennial 30- 50cm tall.
Leaf
Bright green, limp, fleshy, pointed leaves, 1.5 ´ 30cm, with a strong onion smell when crushed.
Flower
Small, white, bell-shaped flowers, clustered at end of long, triangular stems. Each petal has a middle green line.
Fruit
Rounded green capsule, 4- 6mm diameter, with black, oblong seeds.
Management
Permission should be sought from the land manager before any weed control is undertaken.
Removal methods
Remove small and scattered plants first and then target outer edges of larger infestations. Best removed prior to seed when plants are fully grown and parent bulb
exhausted.
Angled Onion has bulbous, fibrous roots.
| Small Plants | |
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Hand pull or use a garden fork ensuring removal of bulbs and adjoining corms and rhizomes.
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| Large Infestations | |
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Remove flower heads prior to seed set, using either lawn mower or brush cutter.
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Cover infested area with dense mulch matting (eg. Old carpet, thick newspaper), topped with appropriate mulch, after active growth, and leave to rot down.
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Alternatively, cover with black plastic prior to seed set. Leave plants to ‘cook’ for several weeks or longer if possible before hand removing or spot spraying the weakened plants.
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As a last resort spray plants with herbicide during active growth. Do not spray near streams or waterways.
Disposal
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Either burn in a very hot fire or seal in strong bags and take to the tip.
Maintenance
It may take several years to exhaust the bulb food supply. Continue cutting new growth and maintaining dense mulch.
Life Cycle
The life cycle may vary according to seasons and site conditions such as soil type, aspect and location.
Replacement Plants
Replace Angled Onion with appropriate indigenous plants. Encourage indigenous plant regeneration. Seek advice from you local indigenous nursery or your NRE Coast Action/Coastcare facilitator.
Herbicide Recommendations
- Always consider manual weed removal methods before herbicide treatments, to avoid the unnecessary introduction of herbicides into the natural environment.
- Information on up-to-date herbicide treatment is available from herbicide companies.
- Users of herbicides should read the label fully, follow directions carefully and ensure that correct precautions and procedures are applied. To do otherwise is at the user’s own risk.
- It is advisable for at least one member of any environment group to have undertaken an approved chemical safety course. See local TAFE courses.
Did you know?
- Angled Onion thrives in damp semi-shaded areas, eg. On stream banks.
- Angled Onion is listed as a noxious weed in Victoria except in the Metropolitan area and has the capacity to invade a range of indigenous plant communities.
- Once established, it has the potential to completely smother and replace indigenous ground cover vegetation.
- It is a very persistent weed and may take extensive time and effort to eradicate.
- When revegetating, adopt either a staged approach (overstorey trees and shrubs prior to ground cover species) or defer until infested area is controlled then plant densely.
- The ornamental Snowdrop, Leucojum vernum looks similar to Angled Onion but has no green spots on petals and no odour.
Feedback
New information is vital. Please inform your local NRE Coast Action/Coastcare facilitator of your weed management results.
References
- Carr, G.W., Yugovic, J.V., Robinson, K.E. (1992). Environmental Weed Invasions in Victoria. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, & Ecological Horticulture Pty. Ltd. Melbourne
- Northcote City Council and Duggan, D. (1994). Weeds of Urban Waterways. Northcote City Council Parks and Gardens, & Yarra Bend Trust, Melbourne.
- Parsons, W.T. & Cuthbertson, E.G. (1992). Noxious Weeds of Australia. Inkata Press Melbourne.
- Robertson, M. (1994). Stop Bushland Weeds. Nature Conservation Society of South Australia Inc., Adelaide.
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The advice provided in this publication is intended as a source of information only. Always read the label before using any of the products mentioned. The State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication.
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