African Wildlife & Environment Issue 78

FAUNA, FLORA & WILDLIFE

allow to draw overnight.The next morning strain and dip a bunch of leafy twigs into the mixture and flick this over the plants, pour the remainder into the ground around the stems of the infected plants over the course of the next three days. This is excellent for badly infected fruit trees and plants. Lastly pour down ant hills and holes. One wonders why we have not paid more attention to this fascinating plant. Now is the time to get it growing!

Growing the plant from cuttings is easy and it is an attractive feathery grey, green shrub in the garden, growing up to 1.5 meters in height and spread. It benefits from quite harsh winter pruning to allow the lush soft spring growth to really come out to its best. I grow Wilde Als under my fruit trees to attract insects from the fruit tree as a natural living insecticide and companion plant. If you plant in this manner, you will soon notice aphids will be attracted to the Wilde Als because of its luring smell, gathering around the stems and young leaves to suck off the sticky sap and in turn, the aphids will attract their predators like wasps and fruit flies away from your fruit trees. This is called a 'predator attractor' - using plants as companions, attractors of insects and then ultimately an insect repellant. A Wilde Als insecticide spray is effective for aphids, whitefly, and other plant pests. To make this easy solution : Fill a large bucket halfway with a mixture ofWilde Als leaves, 'khakibos' sprays and wild basil leaves (of any variety). Lastly add half a cup of organic washing powder. Mix all the ingredients and fill up the bucket to the brim with boiling water and

Sandy Roberts The Herbal Centre Hartbeespoort 071 161 6441

FURTHER READING: Indigenous Heal ing Plants (reviewed in Afr ican Wi ldl i fe & Envi ronment # 71).

‘LET NATURE BE YOUR TEACHER’ William Wordsworth A DETAILED OVERVIEW OF INSECT LIFE IN THE REGION TIMELY ANTIDOTES TO LOCKDOWN PANGOLINS AND COVID 19 THE LINK EXPOSED

Inspires wanderlust

Covers sites in South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique

25 | African Wildlife & Environment | Issue 78 (2021)

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