Landowners urged to control moth plant

Biosecurity experts are urging Northland landowners to once again turn their attention to controlling a familiar – and highly invasive – plant foe.

Moth plant (Araujia sericifera) is a highly invasive and toxic vine ranked among Northland’s top five non-pastoral pest plants.

Ken Massey, a Biosecurity Officer with the Northland Regional Council, says community goodwill is a key weapon in the battle against the plant, which invades and smothers native forest areas, garden shrubs, shelterbelt trees and roadside plants. Its milky, sticky sap can also cause skin irritation and ill health.

The plant is common throughout Northland and is easily recognised by its climbing vine, with paired, oblong leaves and distinctive small, clustered white flowers which develop into choko-like seedpods.

“Legally it’s a landowner’s sole responsibility to control moth plant, but it is so well-established in our region that the Regional Council simply does not have the resources to tackle it by itself anyway,” Mr Massey says. “It’s going to require a concerted and ongoing effort by landowners.”

He says the Council urges anyone with moth plant on their land (including those in rental properties) to seek advice on how best to control it.

“It’s important to do this to reduce the health risks to themselves and their children and help protect the environment.”

Similarly, Mr Massey says people should urge neighbours experiencing moth plant problems to do the same, especially around this time of year.

“Every year huge numbers of moth plant seeds are released from the plant’s seedpods (usually between late summer and early autumn) and are carried by the wind to infest new areas. Controlling moth plant now, before seedpods burst, makes a lot of sense and can save a lot of time and effort that will otherwise be required in the future.”

Mr Massey says moth plant can be severed at ground level and any regrowth should be grubbed out or spot sprayed. For small infestations ‘Woody Weedkiller’ - available from most garden stores - is effective at 360 ml in 15 litres of water for foliage spraying.

He says while foliage can be safely composted, seed pods should be bagged and buried deeply or safely disposed of at a refuse centre. It’s also important to wear gloves when handling moth plant to protect against the potentially harmful sap.

Anyone wanting to know more about moth plant should contact Council Biosecurity Officers on (0800) 002 004.