Aluminium plant

A perennial groundcover herb less than 50cm tall with green and silver leaves. It smothers native vegetation and prevents plant regeneration.

Description

• Forms mats and stems are square and densely hairy.
• Leaves are on a long petiole and are mint-like, less than 8x6cm, aromatic, pointed and coarsely toothed, with silver/grey patches on top and a hairy underside.
• Flowers are yellow, hairy and tubular.
• Vegetative spread, dispersed by soil movement.
• Habitats include disturbed forests, scrublands, fernlands, forest and riparian margins, floodplains, and gardens.

What you need to know

Forms dense mats, smothering native vegetation and preventing native regeneration in disturbed bush, scrubland, fernland and forest margins.

Management approach

Aluminium plant is declared an unwanted organism by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) because it is capable of causing harm to the natural environment, physical resources or human health in Aotearoa/New Zealand.

These species pose a high risk to our environment, economy, recreation, and cultural values.

Rules

Any species declared a pest, including unwanted organisms, cannot be sold or be in a place where plants are being sold. Pest plants cannot be propagated, bred, multiplied, communicated, released, caused to be released, or otherwise spread.

Consider removing this invasive species from your property and consult your local council for appropriate disposal. Consider lower-risk alternatives for your garden, such as native plants.

Control

Site management

Follow up treated areas three times per year. Encourage natural regeneration of native plants or replant treated areas where possible after two to three treatments to establish dense ground cover and minimise reinvasion.

Physical control

Dig or pull out.

Plant parts requiring disposal: All parts.

Compost in a composting weed bag or contact your local council for appropriate disposal locations.

Chemical control

Basic Growsafe certified: For small infestations - foliar spray with 0.5g metsulfuron-methyl per 1L of water.

Certified handler/experienced agrichemical user: For medium to large infestations, foliar spray with 5g metsulfuron-methyl per 10L of water and 20ml penetrant.

Caution: When using any herbicide or pesticide please read the label thoroughly to ensure that all instructions and safety requirements are followed.

Biological control

Biological control is currently not available for this species.