Queen of the night

Queen of the night is a poisonous perennial shrub, forming dense mats that can prevent native seeds from germinating.

Description

• Shrub is 2.5 metres tall with erect, hairless stems that become woody on maturity.

• Leaves are hairless, alternate and foul-smelling when bruised.

• Flowers are tubular, 2cm long, pale green/white, nocturnally fragrant and bloom from November-March. The flowers only open at night.

• Fruit are clusters of glossy white berries

• Seeds are dispersed by birds and fragments by water, soil or vehicle movement and dumped vegetation.

• Habitats include scrub, riparian and forest margins, gardens, wasteland, sheltered gullies, light gaps, roadsides, coastal cliffs.

What you need to know

Queen of the night forms dense stands, preventing the growth of native vegetation. It is poisonous and may cause hay fever symptoms.

Poison advice

All plant parts are poisonous to humans and animals. If you think someone or animal has ingested queen of the night, contact your local poison information centre on 0800 POISON (0800 764 766) or your local vet.

Management approach

Queen of the night 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 queen of the night yourself. Report any sightings to us.