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Invasiveness Assessment - Topped lavender (Lavandula stoechas) in Victoria (Nox)
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Plant invasiveness is determined by evaluating a plant’s biological and ecological characteristics against criteria that encompass establishment requirements, growth rate and competitive ability, methods of reproduction, and dispersal mechanisms.
| Each characteristic, or criterion, is assessed against a list of intensity ratings. Depending upon information found, a rating of Low, Medium Low, Medium High or High is assigned to that criterion. Where no data is available to answer a criterion, a rating of medium (M) is applied. A description of the invasiveness criteria and intensity ratings used in this process can be viewed here. |
The following table provides information on the invasiveness of Topped lavender.
A more detailed description of the methodology of the Victorian Weed Risk Assessment (WRA) method can be viewed below:
Victorian Weed Risk Assessment (WRA) method (PDF - 630 KB)
Victorian Weed Risk Assessment (WRA) method (DOC - 1026 KB)
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Common Name: Topped lavender
Scientific name: Lavandula stoechas
| Question | Comments | Reference | Rating |
| Establishment | |||
| Germination requirements? | Seeds germinate at most times of the year. | P & C (1992) | H |
| Establishment requirements? | Mostly occurs in ‘open’ situations, such as pastures, roadsides, and open vegetation formations (grasslands and grassy woodlands). | P & C (1992) Webb et al (1988) | ML |
| How much disturbance is required? | Establishes in minor disturbed ecosystems e.g. grasslands and grassy woodlands, as well as highly disturbed habitats. | P & C (1992) Carr et al (1992) | MH |
| Growth/Competitive | |||
| Life form? | Erect shrub. Other. | P & C (1992) | L |
| Allelopathic properties? | None described. | L | |
| Tolerates herb pressure? | Not eaten by stock. Not known to be under a biocontrol program in Australia or New Zealand. | P & C (1992) | H |
| Normal growth rate? | Forms dense patches, which eliminate most other vegetation. Crowds out all other vegetation in pastoral areas and improved land. | P & C (1992) Blood (n.d.) | H |
| Stress tolerance to frost, drought, w/logg, sal. etc? | Tolerant of drought and as occurs in creeks also assumed tolerant of water logging. | Munne-Bosch et al P & C (1992) | ML |
| Reproduction | |||
| Reproductive system | Reproducing by seed roots and crowns. | P & C (1992) | H |
| Number of propagules produced? | (Estimate using pic. P & C). 50 inflorescence x 60 flowers per inflorescence x 1 seed per flower = 3,000. | P & C (1992) | H |
| Propagule longevity? | Seed is long lived in the soil. However, period unknown. | P & C (1992) | M |
| Reproductive period? | Forms dense patches – monocultures. | P & C (1992) | H |
| Time to reproductive maturity? | Plants are at least two years old before flowering. | P & C (1992) | ML |
| Dispersal | |||
| Number of mechanisms? | Seed – water, wind and birds. Roots and crowns – cultivation equipment and road graders. | P & C (1992) | H |
| How far do they disperse? | Many propagules likely to spread through dispersal by birds, water, cultivation equipment, etc. | P & C (1992) | H |
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