Bell heather

Bell heather is an evergreen bush shrub around 90cm tall with woody, wiry stems and densely hairy young shoots becoming hairless as they mature. It suppresses native vegetation and is a hardy plant with high levels of tolerance.

Description

• Leaves are needle-like dark green to brown (1.5–3.5mm long) in opposite pairs on the stem, overlapping in whorls (groups) of three–four.
• Flowers are bell-shaped, pink, purple or white flowers (2–4mm long) in upright clusters (2–9cm long) in summer to early autumn and are followed by tiny, round, hairy seed capsules.
• Seeds are dispersed by gravity, wind, animals and vegetatively by suckers.
• Human-induced dispersal by intentional plantings and the plant trade.
• Habitats include hill and high-country grasslands and shrublands, subalpine areas, bare soil or rocky areas as well as gardens, open forests, and coastal cliffs.

What you need to know

Form a dense cover, suppressing other vegetation (including flax and snow tussock) and displacing desirable species. Profusely suckers and seeds which remain viable for at least five years. This is a very hardy plant with a wide tolerance to conditions.

Management approach

This is a declared pest managed under the Canterbury Regional Management Plan 2018 – 2038 (PDF file, 10.6MB) within the sustained control programme.

Sustained control

Pests in the sustained control programme vary greatly in their distribution across the region. Some are found in low numbers, while others are already well-established pests.

The intention of the sustained control programme is to reduce the impact on values and spread of a pest onto neighbouring properties.

The community should make us aware of any bell heather plants in Waitaha/Canterbury. We will work with affected landowners to undertake control of bell heather.

Rules

Any species declared a pest 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.

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 small plants and seedlings

Plant parts requiring disposal: all parts

Contact your local council for appropriate disposal locations

Chemical control

Foliar spray with 20ml glyphosate plus 2ml penetrant per 1L of water.

Foliar spray with 6ml triclopyr plus 1ml non-ionic surfactant per 1L of water.

Foliar spray with 6ml picloram/triclopyr mix plus 1ml non-ionic surfactant per 1L of water.

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