Major invasive alien plants in Malta
Guidelines on managing invasive alien plants and restoring native plants communities in terrestrial settings in the Maltese Islands were elaborated by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority in 2013. These guidelines aim to assist:
- in the planning and implementation of management programmes aimed at counteracting the spread of invasive alien plants in natural and semi-natural areas;
- designing and implementing native plant conservation translocations.
The species listed in the table below are considered as major invaders in Malta, and their origin, situation in the EPPO region and whether they spread vegetatively or are prolific seed producers is indicated. In the guidelines, manual, mechanical, chemical or a combination of methods are described as appropriate for each of these species, as well as comments on the biology of the plant to facilitate its control.
|
Species
|
Origin
|
Situation in EPPO region
|
Spreads vegetatively
|
Prolific seed producer
|
|
Acacia cyclops (Fabaceae)
|
SW-Aus.
|
CY, DZ, ES (incl. Islas
Canarias), IL, MA, MT, PT (incl. Azores), TN
|
|
X
|
|
Acacia karroo (Fabaceae)
|
Trop. Af.
|
CY, ES, FR (incl.
Corse), IL, IT (incl. Sardinia, Sicilia), MA, MT, PT, TR
|
|
X
|
|
Acacia saligna (Fabaceae)
|
SW-Aus.
|
CY, DZ, ES (incl.
Baleares, Islas Canarias),
FR (incl. Corse), GR, IL, IT (incl. Sardinia,
Sicilia), JO, MA, MT, PT (incl. Azores), TN, TR
|
|
X
|
|
Aeonium arboreum (Crassulaceae)
|
Af.
|
CY, ES (incl. Baleares), GR, MT, PT (Madeira)
|
X
|
|
|
Agave americana (Asparagaceae)
|
Mexico
|
Widespread
|
X
|
|
|
Agave sisalana (Asparagaceae)
|
Mexico
|
ES (incl. Baleares), IT (Sicilia), MT
|
X
|
|
|
Ailanthus altissima (Simaroubaceae, EPPO List of Invasive alien plants)
|
As.
|
Widespread
|
X
|
X
|
|
Aptenia spp. (Aizoaceae)
|
-*
|
-*
|
X
|
X
|
|
Arundo donax (Poaceae)
|
As.
|
Widespread
|
X
|
|
|
Cardiospermum grandiflorum (Sapindaceae, EPPO Alert List)
|
Trop. Af., C ; S Am.
|
ES (Islas Canarias), FR, IT (Sicilia), MT, PT (Madeira)
|
|
X
|
|
Carpobrotus edulis (Aizoaceae, EPPO List of IAP)
|
S-Af.
|
Widespread
|
X
|
|
|
Casuarina equisetifolia (Casuarinaceae)
|
As trop., Australas., Pacific
|
CY, MT, PT (Madeira)
|
|
X
|
|
Eucalyptus spp. (Myrtaceae)
|
Aus.
|
-*
|
|
|
|
Lantana camara (Verbenaceae)
|
Trop. S-Am.
|
ES (incl. Baleares,
Islas Canarias), FR (Corse),
IL, IT (incl. Sicilia), MT, PT (Azores, Madeira), TR
|
X
|
X
|
|
Leucaena leucocephala (Fabaceae)
|
Am.
|
ES (incl. Islas Canarias), MT, PT (Madeira)
|
|
X
|
|
Nicotiana glauca (Solanaceae)
|
S-Am.
|
Widespread
|
|
X
|
|
Nothoscordum borbonicum (Amaryllidaceae)
|
Am.
|
ES (Baleares), FR (incl. Corse), GB, IT, MT
|
|
X
|
|
Opuntia ficus-indica (Cacataceae)
|
Neotrop.
|
Widespread
|
X
|
|
|
Oxalis pes-caprae (Oxalidaceae, EPPO List of IAP)
|
S-Af.
|
Widespread
|
X
|
|
|
Pennisetum setaceum (Poaceae, EPPO List of IAP)
|
N-Af.
|
Native in part of the region in AL, IL, MA, TN. Established in ES (incl. Baleares, Islas Canarias), FR, IT (incl. Sardinia), MT
|
X
|
X
|
|
Pennisetum villosum; (Poaceae)
|
Af., As.
|
FR (incl., Corse), IT (incl. Sardinia), MT, PT (Incl. Azores, Madeira)
|
X
|
X
|
|
Pittosporum tobira (Pittosporaceae)
|
As. Temp.
|
ES (Baleares), FR (Corse), IT, MT, PT (Azores)
|
|
X
|
|
Ricinus communis (Euphorbiaceae)
|
Trop. Af.
|
Widespread
|
|
X
|
|
Schinus terbinthifolius (Anacardiaceae)
|
Trop. S-Am.
|
ES, IL, MT, PT
|
|
X
|
|
Symphyotrichum squamatum (Asteraceae)
|
S-Am.
|
Widespread
|
|
X
|
|
Tropaeolum majus (Tropaeolaceae)
|
S-Am.
|
ES (incl. Baleares, Islas Canarias), FR (incl. Corse), IE, IT (incl. Sardinia, Sicilia), MT, PT (incl. Azores, Madeira)
|
|
X
|
* No details provided for these genera.
Sources
DAISIE - Delivering Alien Invasive Species Inventories for Europe. http://www.europe-aliens.org
Malta Environment and Planning Authority, Guidelines on alien plant species. http://www.mepa.org.mt/guidelines-alienplants
Malta Environment and Planning Authority (2013) Guidelines on managing non-native plant invaders and restoring native plant communities in terrestrial settings in the Maltese Islands. 88 p.