Red cestrum

Red cestrum is an erect perennial shrub that can grow up to 4 metres tall. Its flowers look like long, skinny trumpets with openings at the end.

Description

• Stems are hairy and purple, turning smooth and woody with age.

• Leaves are hairy, oval and give off an unpleasant odour when damaged.

• Flowers are scentless, tubular and magenta/crimson in colour, hanging in clusters year-round.

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

• Habitats include forest, forest gaps, forest and riparian margins, shrubland, wasteland, urban areas, and roadside.

What you need to know

Red cestrum forms dense stands and displaces native plants preventing native seedling recruitment. It is poisonous to humans and livestock.

Poison advice

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

Management approach

Red cestrum 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 red cestrum yourself. Report any sightings to us.