European holly

A much-branched, evergreen tree less than 12m tall with round, bright red berries in winter. Competes with native species for resources and creates shade which makes it hard to grow in.

Description

• Glossy dark green leaves (3-10cm long) alternate along the stem, and have wavy, thick, serrated edges with a spine at each point.
• Flowers with four white petals flowering October-November occur in clusters.
• Seed is bird-spread, and it also spreads by suckering (sprouting from roots) and layering (rooting of branches that touch the ground).
• Habitats include native and plantation forests, forest edges, and hedgerows.

What you need to know

Competes with native plants for light, nutrients and water. Suckering and layering allow it to form dense thickets that can dominate the tall shrub layer, creating a deep shade difficult for native species to grow in.

Management approach

Community Led

These organisms have not been legally declared as pests but may be of interest to the public as they occur regularly in the environment. They may be capable of causing adverse effects to the values of Waitaha/Canterbury.

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

Monitor the site and treat regrowth and seedlings. If possible, search out and eliminate the source of the infestation.

Physical control

Hand-pull seedlings and small plants (all year round).

Plant part requiring disposal: All parts.

Contact your local council for appropriate disposal locations.

Chemical control

Swab stumps (all year round): cut down and paint freshly cut stumps with glyphosate (200ml/L) or a product containing 100g picloram+300g triclopyr/L (200ml/L). Dispose of cut material at refuse transfer station.

Bore and fill (spring-summer): bore a downward angled hole every 5-10cm around the trunk and apply 1.5ml of a product containing 100g picloram+300g triclopyr/L (undiluted) per hole.

Frilling (all year round): With a sharp chisel or axe, make a deep cut into the sapwood at 5cm intervals around the base of the tree, taking care not to ring-bark the plant. Immediately saturate the cuts with 1.5ml of a product containing 100g picloram+300g triclopyr/L (undiluted) or glyphosate (200ml/L).

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.