In article , "P van Rijckevorsel" wrote:
Misipro writes
Kumara Lantana is a beautiful hedgerow plant which is common in
Australasia. I live in the UK and have been searching for a source of seeds
for this plant in order to establish it in my garden. It's phenomenally
attractive to butterflies and has the appearance of a sort of umbellifer but
with honeysuckle-like flowers on the heads. I would be grateful for clue as
to how to obtain seed for this. Seedsmen in Australia say it's outside of
the "gardening" remit because of it's hedgerow origins. In other words they
don't carry seed for it. It's a cracking plant though and I want some.

[snip]
+ + +
There are some 150 species of Lantana.

The reason why seed of Lantana camara is not available in Australia would
appear to be its reputation as the worst alien invader on the continent, and
the Aussie desperation in trying to get rid of it. It may be illegal to sell
such seeds?

The common ornamental lantana grown in SE Queensland was not
considered to be a problem until recently. It has now been banned
from sale along with all other types. [This new law will not come
into force until 1 Nov 2003.]

It seems that, although the garden variety is allegedly sterile, it's
possible its pollen may be effective in fertilising the more robust
and very nasty forms that are such a menace to pastoralists and to the
the environment generally.

A few refs:

http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/horticulture/5488.html

http://www.nrm.qld.gov.au/about/medi...7_lantana.html

Especially:
http://www.nrm.qld.gov.au/about/medi...eed_sales.html


Cheers, Phred.

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LID