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.
African feather grass
A tussocky grass that forms thick clumps up to 2m high. Report this pest!
African love grass
Grows as clumps of grass up to 1.5m tall with small white flowers and black-olive/purple seeds. *Must be reported*
Banana passionfruit
A fast-growing vine with pink flowers and yellow fruit, that smothers other plants and harms native bush.
Bomarea
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.
Boneseed
Management: Progressive containment programme
Broom
Management: Sustained control programme
Bur daisy
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.
Cape ivy
Management: Progressive containment programme
Chilean flame creeper
A climbing vine with red tubular flowers, fast-growing and smothers native plants and trees.
Chilean needle grass
Management: Exclusion programme
Darwin's barberry
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.
False tamarisk
Management: Exclusion programme
Giant Hogweed
Management: Organism of Interest (OOI)
Gorse
Management: Sustained control programme
Great willowherb
Management: Unwanted Organism
Gunnera
Management: Site-led programme
Japanese knotweed
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.
Moth plant
Management: Exclusion programme
Nassella tussock
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,
Nodding thistle
Management: Sustained control programme
Old man's beard
Management: Progressive containment programme
Perennial nettle
Management: Progressive containment programme
Purple loosestrife
Management: Unwanted Organism
Ragwort
Management: Sustained control programme
Spartina
Management: Progressive containment programme
Spiny broom
Management: Eradication programme
Sycamore
A fast-growing deciduous tree with broad leaves and winged seeds that spread easily.
Tradescantia
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.
White-edged nightshade
Management: Progressive containment programme
Wild Russell lupin
Management: Sustained control programme
Wild ginger
Wild ginger forms dense clumps that smother native bush and stop new plants from growing. It spreads quickly and is hard to remove.
Wilding conifers
Management: Progressive containment programme
Yellow Flag Iris
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.
