Sweet pea shrub

Sweet pea shrub is an evergreen perennial shrub from South Africa that can grow to two metres tall.

Description

• Young stems are covered in short, curly hairs. Stems are smooth, woody, and many-branched.

• Leaves are oval, smooth, and alternate.

• Flowers are purple and green, and sweet pea-like, visible between January-December.

• Seed capsules are flat and heart-shaped.

• Seeds are dark brown and hairy. Dispersed by gravity, wind, water, and possibly ants.

• Habitats include coastal areas, forest margins, scrubland, cliffs, open areas, and tussocks.

What you need to know

Sweet pea shrub forms dense stands, displacing native vegetation, especially coastal shrub species.

Management approach

Sweet pea shrub 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 cannot be sold or be in a place where plants are being sold. Pest plants cannot be propagated, bred, multiplied, communicated, released, caused to be released, or otherwise spread.

Control

Do not attempt to undertake control of sweet pea shrub yourself. Report sightings to the MPI on Exotic Pest Hotline at 0800 80 99 66 or the online reporting form.