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There is a wide range of pest plants in Otago, a lot of them are escapees that were brought in to New Zealand for people’s gardens but jumped the fence and spread across our landscapes causing trouble for our native biodiversity.
Not all garden escapees are included in our pest plan for various reasons but that doesn’t mean they’re not weedy. Weedbusters has a lot of information or various pest plants and if you’re having trouble identifying a plant, iNaturalist is tool that allows you to add observations and have experts identify it for you.
Read our Pest versus Weed factsheet to see how we decide what is a pest plant under our Regional Pest Management Plan.
A tussocky grass that forms thick clumps up to 2m high. Report this pest!
Grows as clumps of grass up to 1.5m tall with small white flowers and black-olive/purple seeds. *Must be reported*
A fast-growing vine with pink flowers and yellow fruit, that smothers other plants and harms native bush.
Bomarea is a climbing, woody vine with long, narrow leaves and large clusters of tubular flowers, typically orange, red, or yellow. Management programme: Progressive Containment.
Management: Progressive containment programme
Management: Sustained control programme
Management: Progressive containment programme. A small, stringy perennial herb growing up to 40cm tall, with thin green hairy leaves, fine branches, and bright yellow pom-pom-like flowers that turn into hard brown burs covered in tiny hooks.
Management: Progressive containment programme
A climbing vine with red tubular flowers, fast-growing and smothers native plants and trees.
Management: Exclusion programme
A spiny, evergreen shrub growing up to 4 meters tall, featuring glossy dark green leaves, clusters of deep orange-yellow flowers, and purplish-black berries.
Management: Exclusion programme
Management: Organism of Interest (OOI)
Management: Sustained control programme
Management: Unwanted Organism
Management: Site-led programme
Japanese knotweed is a fast-spreading weed, that can grow from pieces of root or stem. It quickly takes over an area, pushing out native plants and even damaging things like roads, walls, and buildings.
Management: Exclusion programme
Nassella tussock is a perennial grass that grows up to 1.5 meters tall, with long, fine leaves and distinctive fluffy seed heads. Management programme: Progressive containment,
Management: Sustained control programme
Management: Progressive containment programme
Management: Progressive containment programme
Management: Unwanted Organism
Management: Sustained control programme
Management: Progressive containment programme
Management: Eradication programme
A fast-growing deciduous tree with broad leaves and winged seeds that spread easily.
Tradescantia is a fast-spreading weed that smothers the ground and stops native plants from growing. It breaks easily and grows from small stem pieces, making it hard to get rid of.
Management: Progressive containment programme
Management: Sustained control programme
Wild ginger forms dense clumps that smother native bush and stop new plants from growing. It spreads quickly and is hard to remove.
Management: Progressive containment programme
Yellow Flag Iris is poisonous to humans and animals. It grows up to 1.5 meters tall, with broad, flat, sword-shaped leaves, and bright yellow flowers.