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Beware
Not all plants
are innocent | |
Some introduced plants so enjoy our climate and soils that they rapidly begin to spread, swamping more desirable plants and, in particular, indigenous species. We encourage you to learn which plants have been declared pests and to garden responsibly.
 You should always ensure that weeds, prunings and root sections of plants or weeds that have the potential to become invasive are disposed of properly. Many can be composted if your compost heap heats as it should. Others can be burned. Some can go to your local authority for composting. You should never dispose of any garden rubbish on the roadside, in the country or 'over the bank'.
No one enjoys removing yards of introduced convolvulus from their garden, nor do the hillsides of flowering gorse (Ulex europaeus) bring a feeling of well-being to us, 'furze' or gorse may be loved in its English home country (and you can see some scruffy examples in the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew) but in New Zealand it is clearly a rampant pest.
National Plant Pests
National surveillance plant pests are those which, if you have them you may grow them, (please don't dump unwanted plants or prunings), but you may not propagate, distribute or display these plants.
Climbers that are National surveillance plants include Passiflora mollissima, the banana passion fruit, is also a major pest, smothering native vegetation and spreading rapidly. Despite their pretty flowers and ease of growth you should not plant this passion fruit. That very ease of growth has made them a threat to our indigenous vegetation.
Clematis vitalba, also known as 'Old Man's Beard' and 'Traveller's Joy', is grows in English hedgerows and is loved there. It is no joy in New Zealand where it is a pest throughout the countryside. An introduced clematis vine, C. vitalba forms a thick blanket of growth, eventually smothering and killing the shrubs and trees it scrambles over. Existing plants should be notified to your local regional Council and must be eradicated. To distinguish C. vitalba from New Zealand native clematis species look at the leaves C. vitalba has five heart shaped or lance shaped leaflets per leaf and the native clemaris has three leaflets per leaf. C. vitalba has small greenish white flowers appear between December and February, followed by distinct pom-pom shaped fluffy seed heads ( giving the plant its name). The native clematis species flowers in spring.
Another National surveillance plant pest is Ipomoea purpurea, the morning glory vine, is an easy climber with large and striking lilac-blue flowers. It grows to 6.0m and more. Ipomoea require a moderately fertile soil that is well drained, and a sunny position. Take care if you grow as Ipomoea purpurea is extremely invasive and all prunings. |
Cobea scandens 'Alba' |
Other Plant Pests
Please do not plant Cobea scandens, the cup and saucer vine or cathedral bells, beloved of English gardens but a rampant pest here. Within the Auckland Regional Council (ARC) area, at least, you cannot grow it. It is banned from sale, propagation, distribution or commercial display. Existing plants must be reported to the ARC and they will eradicate them. (You should contact the Regional Council on 0800 80 60 40 or (09) 379 4420 and they will remove it). |
Lonicera japonica, the Japanese honeysuckle, is an Auckland Regional Surveillance Plant Pest and cannot be sold, propagated, distributed or commercially displayed within the Auckland Region. This restriction also applies to cultivars of L. japonica such as 'Halliana', 'Cream Cascade' and others.
The Mignonette vine, Anredera cordifolia, is a Total Plant Pest within the Auckland Region at least. This plant must be controlled and within the Waitakere Ranges and Great Barrier existing plants must be reported to the Auckland Regional Council. |
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Contact Details - Auckland Regional Council
21 Pitt Street, Auckland
Private Bag 92-102 Newton, Auckland
Tel- +64 (9) 379 4420. Fax- +64 (9) 366 2155
Environline - 0800 80 60 40
Website www.arc.govt.nz |
More Nature's Garden
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Lonicera japonica
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