Common Name
Soap bush, Soapbush, Hairy Clidemia
Scientific Name
Clidemia hirta
Family
Melastomataceae
Lifecycle
Perennial
Seasons of Growth
In tropical climates, Koster's Curse can flower and fruit year-round, particularly in areas with high rainfall. In regions with a dry season, the plant's growth slows, and flowering is less frequent. Seeds can remain viable in the soil for up to eight years.
Key Distinguishing Feature
Leaves: Oval-shaped, 5-18 cm long, with wrinkled surfaces and prominent veins. Flowers: Small, white or pink, with five petals. Fruit: Purplish-black berries that contain numerous seeds. Stems: Densely covered with reddish-brown hairs.
Koster's Curse is a perennial shrub native to tropical America, including parts of Mexico, Central America, and South America. It typically grows between 0.5 and 3 meters tall but can reach up to 5 meters in shaded areas. The plant features densely branching stems covered with large, stiff, reddish-brown hairs. Its leaves are dark green, oval-shaped, and wrinkled, with prominent veins and finely toothed edges. Small white or pink flowers bloom in clusters at the leaf forks or branch tips, and it produces purplish-black berries containing numerous seeds.
Methods of Control
Physical Removal:
- Hand-pulling: Effective for small infestations. Ensure complete removal of root systems to prevent regrowth.
- Mechanical Removal: Suitable for larger areas but requires follow-up treatments to control regrowth.
Chemical Control:
- Glyphosate (360 g/L): Spot spray applications are effective. Use a 1:50 dilution rate.
- Fluroxypyr (200 g/L): Spot spray applications. Use 500 mL to 1 L per 100 L water.
- Fluroxypyr (333 g/L): Spot spray applications. Use 300 to 600 mL per 100 L water.
Biological Control:
- Liothrips urichi: A thrips species used in Hawaii and Fiji to control the plant by attacking young shoots and leaves.
- Lius peisodon: A beetle introduced in Hawaii to target the plant in shaded areas.
- Colletotrichum gloeosporioides f.sp. clidemiae: A fungus used in Hawaii to attack the plant in both shaded and unshaded areas.
Cultural Control:
- Control of feral pigs and other animals that may spread seeds.
- Implementing hygiene measures to prevent the spread of seeds by vehicles and machinery.
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