Travelling weeds

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Weeds are very good at moving from area to area. Their seeds are especially adapted to travel.

Some seeds are blown on the wind, or travel in water, they may stick to the fur or feathers of animals, even ants carry seeds. Larger animals such as birds, foxes and rabbits eat the fruits of weeds and the seeds within pass through their digestive systems and are deposited in a new area.

People can spread weeds by growing them in their gardens. Seeds also attach to clothing or muddy boots. The tires of trucks travelling between farms are a common place to find weed seeds.

Other weeds can grow from small pieces of the plant that are broken off or by people dumping garden waste into the bush. Most areas of bushland near major cities have weeds growing in them.

Weeds may produce enormous numbers of seeds which can lie dormant (sleeping) in the soil. This is called a seed bank. When the adult weeds are removed there is ready supply of new plants.