Atlas of alien plants

Several species of alien plants in Namibia pose a threat to the natural vegetation. Mapping these species and obtaining basic information on them is a first step in assessing the level of threat and how best to tackle the problem.

If you are not sure of the identification of a plant species, take photos and a specimen and ask advice from the National Herbarium of Namibia. Read their guidelines on how to request an identification and submit a specimen. Enter the specimen reference number in the comments field of your atlasing record.

Take action

If you would like to get involved in removing alien cacti in the Windhoek area, note that the City of Windhoek division of solid waste management will on request remove every lorry load of extracted cacti piled up at accessible places next to a street. If you want a heap of cacti to be removed or a container to be supplied, Theckla Kangueehi from Solid Waste Management should be contacted at tec@windhoekcc.org.na or 061 290 3108 or 081 241 6399. Where cacti are removed, the position should be reported to the botanical society so that after some months they can root out whatever starts growing again from missed pieces, roots or seeds. The email address is nambotsoc@gmail.com. Please also contact Gunhild Voigts who has been spearheading the efforts to remove alien plants in Windhoek: gunhild.voigts@gmail.com or 081 208 5747 and find more information on the Cactus Clean-up website.

Aliens news August 2023

NEW INVASIVE ALIEN RECORDED IN NAMIBIA - If you see it, please inform Herta Kolberg <boscia@afol.com.na>.

The alien species Calotropis gigantea – giant milkweed or crown flower – was recorded in October 2019 about 60 km S of Grootfontein along the road to Otjinene (2018AA). Only a single plant, right on the edge of the tar road, was seen. The species is native to the Indian subcontinent and SE Asia and has spread through Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique and Angola as well as to the northern parts of South America, some Pacific islands and NE Australia. The impacts of this species on the ecosystems it invades is not yet documented. It would be interesting for atlasers to keep an eye out for this plant to determine whether the plant is more widespread other localities.

Latest alien plants records

These are the latest records added, for alien plants.

» You can also see all records here.

Species	Grid Ref	Date	Recorder

Prosopis spp	2737_1736	02/07/2025	Walters, Matthew
Ricinus communis \| Castor oil plant	2737_1736	02/07/2025	Walters, Matthew
Datura inoxia \| Downy thorn apple	2737_1736	02/07/2025	Walters, Matthew
Datura inoxia \| Downy thorn apple	2736_1735	02/07/2025	Walters, Matthew
Datura inoxia \| Downy thorn apple	2735_1734	01/07/2025	Walters, Matthew
Datura inoxia \| Downy thorn apple	2735_1735	01/07/2025	Walters, Matthew
Prosopis spp	2807_1803	08/03/2025	Walters, Matthew
Datura ferox \| Large thorn apple	1800_2435	15/02/2025	Walters, Matthew
Caesalpinia gilliesii \| Bird of paradise	22.459S, 17.079E	22/09/2024	Nakale, Emilia
Cylindropuntia pallida \| Rosea cactus	22.609S, 17.063E	23/09/2024	Nakale, Emilia

Caesalpinia gilliesii \| Bird of paradise	Caesalpinia gilliesii \| Bird of paradise	Caesalpinia gilliesii \| Bird of paradise	Caesalpinia gilliesii \| Bird of paradise

Latest alien plants records map

Top ten alien plant atlassers

Ranked by number of species

Observer	No. of species

Walters, Matthew	31
Mutota, Petra	27
Ward, David	26
Brown, Chris	25
Kalumbu, Sarry	22
Kolberg, Herta	22
Mannheimer, Coleen	21
Matheus, Jeremia	21
Mutota, Patrick	18
Sack, Jessica	17

Top ten alien plant atlassers

Ranked by number of records

Observer	No. of records

Walters, Matthew	1533
Ward, David	907
Mutota, Petra	601
Kolberg, Herta	410
Matheus, Jeremia	217
Brown, Chris	193
Kalumbu, Sarry	171
Mannheimer, Coleen	119
Mutota, Patrick	108
Peters, Raymond	96

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American agave Agave americana	Show map of records	Show description and photos
Bird of paradise Caesalpinia gilliesii	Show map of records	Show description and photos
Blind prickly pear Opuntia rufida	Show map of records	Show description and photos
Boxing glove cactus Cylindropuntia fulgida var. mamillata	Show map of records	Show description and photos
Bunny-ear prickly pear Opuntia microdasys	Show map of records	Show description and photos
Castor oil plant Ricinus communis	Show map of records	Show description and photos
Common pest pear Opuntia stricta	Show map of records	Show description and photos
Common thorn apple Datura stramonium	Show map of records	Show description and photos
Cow's tongue cactus Opuntia engelmannii var. linguiformis	Show map of records	Show description and photos
Devil's rope cactus Cylindropuntia imbricata	Show map of records	Show description and photos
Downy thorn apple Datura inoxia	Show map of records	Show description and photos
Fountain grass Pennisetum setaceum	Show map of records	Show description and photos
Guava Psidium guajava	Show map of records	Show description and photos
Jerusalem thorn Parkinsonia aculeata	Show map of records	Show description and photos
Kariba weed Salvinia molesta	Show map of records	Show description and photos
Lantana Lantana camara	Show map of records	Show description and photos
Large thorn apple Datura ferox	Show map of records	Show description and photos
Leucaena Leucaena leucocephala	Show map of records	Show description and photos
Mesquite & Prosopis Prosopis spp.	Show map of records	Show description and photos
Midnight lady Harrisia pomanensis	Show map of records	Show description and photos
Moon cactus Harrisia martinii	Show map of records	Show description and photos
Pepper tree Schinus molle	Show map of records	Show description and photos
Pine cone cactus Tephrocactus articulatus	Show map of records	Show description and photos
Potato creeper Solanum seaforthianum	Show map of records	Show description and photos
Prickly poppy Argemone ochroleuca/Argemone subfusiformis	Show map of records	Show description and photos
Rosea cactus Cylindropuntia pallida	Show map of records	Show description and photos
Rubber vine Cryptostegia grandiflora	Show map of records	Show description and photos
Sand olive Dodonaea viscosa var. angustifolia	Show map of records	Show description and photos
Saucepan cactus Opuntia spinulifera	Show map of records	Show description and photos
Sisal Agave sisalana	Show map of records	Show description and photos
Small round-leaved prickly pear Opuntia engelmannii	Show map of records	Show description and photos
Sulphur-flowered prickly pear Opuntia sulphurea	Show map of records	Show description and photos
Sweet prickly pear Opuntia ficus-indica	Show map of records	Show description and photos
Syringa tree Melia azedarach	Show map of records	Show description and photos
Wild tobacco Nicotiana glauca	Show map of records	Show description and photos
Yellow bells Tecoma stans	Show map of records	Show description and photos

Caesalpinia gilliesii \| Bird of paradise	Caesalpinia gilliesii \| Bird of paradise	Caesalpinia gilliesii \| Bird of paradise	Caesalpinia gilliesii \| Bird of paradise

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Atlas of alien plants

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Aliens news August 2023

Latest alien plants records

Latest alien plants records map

Top ten alien plant atlassers

Top ten alien plant atlassers

View maps, descriptions, photos