Invasive Weed Discovered in Otatara
Environment Southland biosecurity staff are on the track of the invasive weed Rough horsetail, which has been found on an Otatara section.
They are asking the public to help by reporting any other sightings of the plant, which looks like a rush and grows up to 2 metres high. Rough horsetail is popular with florists but has been declared a national pest species, which means it is illegal to propagate it, to sell it, and to give parts of it away.
Biosecurity Officer Randall Milne said Rough horsetail formed dense thickets over large areas such as riverbanks, ponds and damp, graveled areas. It spreads by underground stems (rhizomes) which can extend a metre below the soil’s surface, giving it the ability to grow under footpaths and driveways.
“Although Rough horsetail is quite attractive and very distinctive, the damage it could cause to Southland's environment is scary,” Mr Milne said. “We hope people will see the bigger picture and give us a call if they think they know of any locations of this potentially serious weed.”
Biosecurity staff are unsure how Rough horsetail came to be growing in an empty section in Otatara, but one possibility is that it may have sprouted from a discarded bouquet of flowers dumped there along with other greenwaste.
“The owners have been very co-operative and want to see this plant gone from their property,” Mr Milne said. We've carried out work to control it, but will need to go back in spring to see if it has been eradicated at this site. It's a bloody difficult plant to get rid of once it’s established.”
Download the Rough Horsetail Flyer (331KB PDF)
|