ALIEN INVASIVE THREATENS NATIVE BEACH PLANTS

A healthy beach should have a diversity of plants and trees

By Lois Blumenthal

“An introduced beachside landscaping plant from the South Pacific, originally welcomed for its sturdy, salt-tolerant qualities has emerged as a major threat to Cayman Islands native seaside vegetation,” says a press release from Cayman Wildlife Connection, (CWC) - a group that is studying Cayman’s natural environment and the relationships of plants and animals. The plant has no common name here, but the scientific name is Scaevola sericea. Though it was once imported, it is now readily grown from cuttings and seeds and is often used in beach landscaping because it is inexpensive and easy to grow.  However Scaevola sericea is spreading at an alarming rate over Cayman’s beaches.

Scaevoala sericea is easily recognizable by its shiny lime-green leaves and white berries.

“It’s killing all the Jennifer plants,” noted a character in a recent production of “Run Down” – and she is absolutely right. Native beach plants like Lavender, Pop-nut, Broadleaf and even Almond trees don’t stand a chance when overwhelmed by thick, fast-growing, lime-green non-native Scaevola.  “It may even grow too thick for nesting sea turtles to force their way into it to lay their eggs,” speculates Lois Blumenthal, a member of the group. “This would have to be studied, of course, but we don’t want to find out too late – after Cayman’s wild beaches become an impenetrable green wall of thick Scaevola!

“We actually have a native version of the Scaevola,” notes Ms. Blumenthal, “the Cayman Islands Scaevola plumeri has a black berry, a thicker leaf and an elegant rose-like cluster of leaves. Its common name is “Bay Balsam” or “Inkberry” and it has become very very rare.”

Increasingly rare Cayman native Bay Balsam or Inkberry - Scaevola plumeri is a related native plant that is fast-disappearing from our beaches. It can be identified by its black berries and fleshy, rose-shaped leaf formations.

Both “Scaevolas” grow well on beaches and have frilly white flowers that seem to have been cut in half. But the new pest is easy to distinguish because of its white berries.

"A plant relatively new to Cayman‚s shores is killing native beach plants like this Jennifer which was overwhelmed by the invasive Scaevola sericea."

“While this plant may have its place as a hedge or privacy screen, it should not be allowed to spread unchecked and kill off all our native seaside plants. If you live on the shore, put on your gardening gloves and start pulling it out!” advises CWC. You’ll have to be vigilant for a few years, as new sprouts appear, but in time you can rather easily eliminate it and watch your Cayman native beach plants like Jennifer, Lavender, Bay Vine, Sea Bean, lovely beach grasses and other natural vegetation return.”  For more information and photos check www.caymanwildlife.org or write to info@caymanwildlife.org