Pests of the Bay of Plenty - Bay of Plenty Regional Council

RESTRICTED pestsPlectranthus Plectranthus ciliatusA long trailing groundcover. The upper side of the leaves are greenwith purple veins. The underside is purple. Stems are coveredin purple hairs. Masses of white and purple flowers appear fromDecember to August.Risk area: Forest margins, plantations and hedges.Prickly pear cactus Opuntia monacanthaA cactus growing up to 5 m tall with a definite trunk and manynarrowly egg-shaped, flattened, succulent branches, 10-35 cmlong. Leaves are minute and deciduous. Flowers are yellow withan orange to red median stripe, followed by reddish purple oblongfruit. The plant spreads by stem fragments.Risk area: Coastal areas and cliffs.Privet - Chinese privet Ligustrum sinenseEvergreen shrub up to 5 m tall. Leaves are dull green on the uppersurface and are 3-7 cm long and 1-3 cm wide. Flowers from Julyto March. Black berries follow flowering.Risk areas: All types of forest, forest margins, gardens, parks,wasteland, pasture, orchards.Privet - Tree privet Ligustrum lucidumFast-growing, evergreen tree up to 10 m tall. Leaves are ovalshaped,glossy on the upper surface, and are 5-13 cm long and3-6 cm wide. New wood has spotty appearance. Flowers fromNovember to March. White flowers form bluish-purplish-black,berry-like drupes.Risk areas: All types of forest, forest margins, gardens, parks,wasteland, pasture, orchards.Purple nutsedge Cyperus rotundusAlso known as Nutgrass. A perennial sedge with an unjointedsolid stem that is triangular in cross-section. Bright green leaves,20‐50 cm tall, taper to a point. Plant has brown-purple seed headsand rhizomatous roots with numerous 2-3 cm long tubers (nuts)along its length.Risk areas: Cropping land, fertile moist soils, lawns, gardens.36Pests of the Bay of Plenty