Drooping sedge

A tall, perennial, deep-rooted, tussock-forming sedge. Drooping sedge displaces native and productive plants and is unpalatable to stock.

Description

• Up to 2.5m high with smooth three-sided drooping stems.
• Leaves are 15-20mm wide.
• The flower filaments are drooping and less than 15cm.
• Dispersal by seeds spread by animals, gravity and water. Vegetative spread from root fragments and tillers.
• Contaminated vehicles and soil also facilitate dispersal.
• Habitats include pastures, grasslands, wetlands, forests, forest margins, lawns, and gardens.

What you need to know

Displaces native and productive plants in a wide range of habitats due to forming dense infestations and is unpalatable to stock.

Management approach

Drooping sedge 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 out.

Plant parts requiring disposal: Seeds, tillers and root fragments.

Contact your local council for appropriate disposal options.

Chemical control

No qualifications:
For small infestations: Foliar spray with 15ml glyphosate per 1L of water.

Basic Growsafe certified:
For medium to large infestations: Foliar spray with 150ml glyphosate per 10L of water.

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.