Passiflora species

These passiflora species are aggressive climbing vines, easily spread by birds, possums or feral pigs.

Description

Passion flower

• Leaves are heart shaped.

• Stems are wiry and up to 10m long.

• Flowers are blue-purple and white and 9cm wide.

• Sepals (leaf-like structures that protect the bud) are bent backwards and white.

Batwing passion flower

• Leaves can either have a pale green stripe along the mid-rib or remain dark green.
• Younger plants are matte and older plants are shiny.
• Flowers are small, yellow or light green, without petals.
• Fruits are small green berries, maturing to black.

Northern banana passionfruit

• Leaves are three-lobed and up to 10cm long.

• Flowers are pink, held out at an angle, and covered in soft hairs.

• Fruits are orange/yellow and oblong with a sweet orange pulp.

• Seeds are spread by animals with a vegetative spread via stem fragments.

• Habitats include disturbed and open forests, forest and riparian margins, shrublands, cliffs, sand dunes, roadsides, hedgerows, wastelands, and gardens.

What you need to know

Passiflora species are vigorous climbers, smothering the canopy and preventing native plants from establishing. It also provides food resource to invasive animals, particularly possums and feral pigs.

Management approach

Passiflora actinia, Passiflora apetala, and Passiflora mixta are declared an unwanted organisms by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) because they are 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

Site management

Cut and pull vines away from desirable trees and native plants before foliar spraying. 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 or pull out small plants or seedlings

Plant parts requiring disposal: all parts

Contact your local council for appropriate disposal locations

Chemical control

Where possible, trace the vines back to ground level, clear a small area around the base, and cut vines close to the ground. Immediately treat with herbicide gel containing glyphosate or metsulfuron-methyl or picloram.

Foliar spray with 6ml triclopyr plus 1ml non-ionic surfactant per 1L of water.

Caution: When using any herbicide or pesticide please read the label thoroughly to ensure that all instructions and safety requirements are followed.