Swiss government clamps down on alien plants
The government has banned certain non-native plant species including cherry laurels – which garden centres will no long be able to sell as of September 1.
The decision to ban the sale of certain plants to third parties, taken on Friday, follows up on a parliamentary request, the government said.
The measure is intended to prevent invasive and alien plants from spreading in the environment and causing damage.
Certain species, including cherry laurel, summer lilac and empress trees may not be sold, given away or imported from September 1. Plants that are already in Swiss gardens are not affected by the ban.
+ Read more: how alien shellfish threaten Swiss waters
The government has also extended the so-called handling ban. This means that a number of invasive alien plants may no longer be used, i.e. placed on the market, planted or cultivated. This ban applies to the tree of heaven, ragweed and giant hogweed, among others.
Import controls by customs are now also possible, while cantons are also responsible for enforcing the bans.
Of the approximately 1,300 non-native animal, plant and fungal species currently found in Switzerland, around 200 are invasive, the government wrote. Almost ninety invasive species are plants, and it can be assumed that this number will keep rising.
Adapted from German by DeepL/dos
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