Rum cherry

Rum cherry is a medium-sized deciduous tree standing no taller than 20m with white flowers. It prevents seedling establishment and can be a food source for invasive mammals.

Description

• Leaves are thin, glossy and toothed.
• Flowers are white, clustered and occurred in late spring.
• Fruit is fleshy and green ripening to purple/black.
• Seeds are dispersed by birds and other animals. Human-induced dispersal by intentional plantings and dumping garden waste.
• Habitats include forests, plantations, shrublands, grasslands, near waterways, and roadsides.

What you need to know

Forms dense stands that prevent seedling establishment. May provide a food resource to invasive mammals.

Management approach

Rum cherry 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, multiplied, communicated, released, cause to be released, or otherwise spread.

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

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 plants.

Plant parts requiring disposal: fruits and seeds.

Contact your local council for appropriate disposal locations.

Chemical control

No qualifications: Cut stump and paste freshly cut base of stems with metsulfuron gel.

Certified handler/experienced agrichemical user: Cut stump and spray freshly cut base with 1g metsulfuron-methyl per 1L of water.

Drill and inject trees with 1g metsulfuron-methyl per 1L of water if safe to do so. Drill 18mm holes (tangentially angled downwards) in a spiral up the trunk.

For 50mm stems drill one hole. For 100mm stems drill two holes. For larger stems drill holes 150mm apart. Foliar spray seedlings with 5g metsulfuron-methyl per 10L of water and 20ml penetrant.

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.

Safety note

Large trees must not be drilled that are closer than 1.5 times the height of the tree from paths, walkways and property.

Trees over 4m in height should be treated and then removed by a qualified arborist.