In article ,
Dave Poole writes:
| On 23 May 2004 19:13:51 GMT, (Nick Maclaren) wrote:
|
| White bryony.
| Yes - Bryonia dioica, our only native member of the cucumber family.
| It can become very rampant as an individual, but is not especially
| troublesome in terms of spreading through the garden. Unlike true
| nuisances such as bindweed, the root is rather carrot like and not
| especially difficult to dig out. You might get a bit of regrowth from
| remaining root pieces, but these are easily dispatched.

!!!

The biggest root I ever had in the garden was c. 5" across, and
broke off over a foot down at 2"+. To dig out such roots, I
should have to treat them like tree-stumps and excavate! It also
regrows vigorously unless I dig it out over 6" down.

It may be that it grows bigger in my soil.

But, as you say, it is not a major problem, and I don't bother
removing it from the wilder parts. The tops come away very easily
and go on the compost heap :-)

| It can smother weaker growing plants, but will die away in early
| autumn as the berries ripen. White Bryony is neither ornamental nor
| unattractive so whether you allow it to remain is up to you. It is
| poisonous though and small children might be tempted by the light
| scarlet, pea-sized berries. The smell and taste foul, but quite
| severe toxic effects can occur after only a few are eaten. The dried
| root was used in the treatment of coughs, pleurisy, pneumonia etc.

All parents of small children should grow chillis, and ensure that
any child that eats berries without permission finds them first.

Given the frequency of white bryony in the hedgerows, in suburbia
as well as in the countryside, an untrained child is more likely to
harm itself the first time it comes across a tempting berry. And
LOTS of them are poisonous, not just white bryony.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.