Chameleon plant

Chameleon plant is a small groundcover herb that can be deciduous or evergreen in warm areas.

Description

• Dense, groundcover herb that grows to 1 metre tall.

• Stems are creeping that die back over winter.

• Leaves are heart-shaped, pepper scented, and 7cm long either green or variegated green/cream/yellow/red.

• Flowers are small, white, and appear on spikes in summer.

• Rhizome fragements spread via water, soil movements, vehicles, machinery, and dumped vegetation. Possibly sets seed.

• Habitats include damp and shady areas, wetlands, riparian margins, forests, shrubland, and gardens.

What you need to know

Chameleon plant rapidly forms dense colonies and has the potential to suppress native seedling recruitment and alter canopy composition.

Management approach

Chameleon 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, or multiplied, communicated, released, or cause to be released, or otherwise spread.

Control

Do not attempt to undertake control of chameleon plant yourself. Report any sightings to us.