Climbing spindleberry

Climbing spindleberry is a deciduous, hairless climber that produces fruit 6-8mm in diameter.

Description

• Stems are <12m high, green and spiny when young and maturing to greyish/brown.

• Leaves are round and finely serrated, 10cm long and turn yellow before falling.

• Flowers are small, pale green and appear in clusters in spring.

• Fruit is a three-sectioned capsule, yellow/orange when mature and containing brown seeds with a red fleshy covering.

• Seeds are dispersed by birds and mammals. Vegetative spread from root suckers.

• Habitats include disturbed forest and shrubland, forest margins, roadsides, and intact forest.

What you need to know

Climbing spindleberry smothers native vegetation, causing canopy collapse and suppressing native seedling recruitment. May overtop plantation trees and impede recreational access to natural areas.

Management approach

Climbing spindleberry 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 climbing spindleberry yourself. Report any sightings to us.