Mickey Mouse plant

An erect, evergreen shrub up to two metres tall with slightly rough stems finely spotted with light brown.

Description

• Leaves are narrow and oval, <5 cm long and finely toothed. They are pink/bronze when young and mature too glossy green.

• Flowers are yellow, <2 cm in diameter and appear between September-March.

• Fruit is black and berry-like, resembling the face of Mickey Mouse in autumn.

• Seeds dispersed by birds, water, and gravity.

• Habitats include forest, forest margins, riparian areas, roadsides, disturbed sites, wasteland, grassland, and rock walls.

What you need to know

Mickey Mouse plant has the potential to invade intact forest ecosystems. It is likely to dominate scrub layers and suppress native recruitment.

Management approach

Mickey Mouse 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 Mickey Mouse plant yourself. Report any sightings to us.