Senegal tea

Senegal tea is an aquatic, perennial herb standing less than 1.5m tall with seeds that ripen in summer and autumn. It forms floating mats which block streams and exacerbate flooding.

Description

• Stems are hollow when mature, buoyant and form dense floating mats.
• Leaves are about 20 x 5cm.
• Flower heads are white, clover-like and visible from December to May.
• Vegetative spread from stem fragments. Seed and stem fragments are dispersed by water movement.
• Human-mediated dispersal through contamination of machinery and deliberate plantings.
• Habitats include damp soils and still or slow-moving water body margins.

What you need to know

Forms floating mats, blocking streams and drainage tunnels, altering water flow dynamics and exacerbating flooding. Potential to replace short-stature herbaceous wetland plant communities.

Management approach

Senegal tea 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 Senegal tea yourself. Report any sightings to us.