Newsademic British English edition 260

a ir y
 
p a n ic
Wangaratta is a city in Australia. 
Recently, some people who live 
in the city have had a problem 
with a type o f plant. The fast­
growing plant’s scientific name is 
Panicum effusum.
Yet most Aus­
tralians call it ‘hairy panic’ or 
‘blow away grass’.
A house surrounded b y h a iry panic
The grass-like plant grows in 
many places in central parts o f Aus­
tralia. It reaches a height o f 70 cen­
timetres (28 inches). Hairy panic 
can quickly spread over a large area. 
Then, if the weather is very dry it 
will become a type o f tumbleweed. 
Tumbleweed plants have an unusual 
way o f spreading their seeds. First, 
they become dry and brittle. Then 
the plants separate from their roots. 
They are blown along by the wind. 
Some tumbleweed grow in a round 
ball-like shape. If there is a strong 
wind, they can travel long distances 
and move very fast.
Hairy panic is not a round shape. 
It grows long spikes to which the 
plants’ seeds are attached. The 
spikes become dry and fluffy. Then, 
they break off from the rest o f the 
plant. The spikes, which are very 
light, are easily blown in the wind. 
Large ‘clouds’ o f the plants’ spikes 
join together. The spikes are then 
blown away. Hairy panic can cover 
fields and roads. If it hits a barrier, 
such as a wall or building, the spikes 
form huge piles.
The weed has affected about 
30 houses in one part o f Wan­
garatta. If windows or doors are 
left open, hairy panic can quickly 
fill up a room or garage. It also 
piles up against fences. Getting 
to and from outside doors can be 
difficult. Cleaning up the tumble­
weed is difficult and takes a long 
time. If a house owner clears it 
all away, more might return the 
following day. Hairy panic can be 
a fire hazard. If it catches fire, the 
flames can quickly spread. People 
are warned not to drive cars along 
roads covered in hairy panic. This 
is because hot exhausts can set 
it alight.
H airy pa n ic pla n t
The people who had to clean 
up the mess in Wangaratta blamed 
local landowners. They said that 
nearby fields and paddocks should 
be kept clear o f the plant, espe­
cially in dry weather. Some com­
plained to the local city authori­
ties. They said that there was not 
much they could do as they could 
not control the wind. Some street 
cleaners were sent to help clear up 
the mess. □

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