Control Method used in Killarney National Park for low to medium sized multi stemmed rhododendron plants

 

Multi stemmed rhododendron plants up to 2 metres in height with small diameter stems can prove difficult to treat. Foliar spraying can result in unacceptable collateral damage to surrounding native vegetation more especially on nature conservation sites. Drilling stems or stem treating with a hatchet can be problematic due to inaccessability of plant stems. In Killarney National Park we have successfully trialled a control method to treat multi stemmed plants with mimimal effort and low volume of herbicide solution. This method has proven to be effective all year round.

Freshly Treated Plants

Cut away the required number of outer stems to expose the remaining stems for treating. Tip the remaining standing stems with chainsaw and immediately treat all exposed plant tissue including cut stumps with a 13% herbicide solution including marking dye to indicate treated stems. Use hand held sprayer to target stems and avoid herbicide run off.

 

 
Dead plants after treating

 

Foliar spraying can cause considerable damage to regenerating native vegetation. Image shows foliar sprayed rhododendron plants in foregrounf and surrounding damage

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

National Parks & Wildlife Service, 7 Ely Place, Dublin 2. Phone: +353 1 8882000 Fax: +353 1 8883272