Jasmine is a sweet smelling but tenacious foe that can smother native bush from ground level up to the canopy. If you can stop it when it first emerges, you are in a good position, otherwise it is a real commitment! But worth doing if you want to save some native bush or stop it spreading out of your property.
What does it look like?
This is an evergreen climbing vine that grows up to mid-canopy height. Leaves are dark green when mature. It has masses of highly scented, small white tubular flowers, mainly in spring, followed by occasional glossy black fruit.
Why is it a problem?
Highly shade tolerant vine which grows rapidly over forest floor, and into the canopy, forming dense, long-lived masses that smother and kill all plants from ground level to medium to high canopy. Stems layer profusely and runners spread long distances over tough sites under buildings, rocks, and so on. Ingress into established forest is rapid via ground or canopy. High shade tolerance means it can flower under full canopy, and tolerates drought, damp, wind, salt, differing soil types, and damage. Extremely hard to kill.
How does it spread?
Birds readily spread seed where it is produced, but most spread is from fragments dumped in green waste and by runners from garden infestations at bush margins. Very rapid growth from stem fragments.
What can we DO about it at Whangarei Heads?
Jasmine is very hard to kill once established, so the best thing to do is to ensure you don’t introduce it to your property, deliberately or accidentally, and ensure that you dispose of your garden waste responsibly if you have it at your place.
- Controlling infestations thoroughly when small and following up until eradicated will also save significant effort, focusing first on keeping it out and away from bush areas.
- For large well established infestations, control is still achievable, the approach just needs to be tactical, moving in a rolling front and undertaking the necessary follow up to ensure complete kill at the retreating margin.
How do I control it?
- Manual control difficult due to growth form (stems root wherever they contact the ground). Vines can be progressively rolled up, and disposed at a refuse transfer station, or by drying thoroughly and composting, or drying and burning, or burying deeply. Stem fragments left in soil after rolling will re-sprout, and then these can be manually pulled (or followed up with herbicide methods below). Intensive follow up required to locate and pull regrowth from any remaining stem fragments.
- Prune vines as close to original stem as possible, then immediately treat cut stem with (5g metsulfuron + 1ml penetrant/1L water), or (250ml Banvine® + 10ml penetrant/1L water). Dispose of all cut stems at a refuse transfer station, or by drying thoroughly and composting, or drying and burning, or burying deeply.
- Cut back & spray regrowth (wait for healthy, mature foliage) with (5g metsulfuron+10ml penetrant/10L water), or (120ml Banvine® + 10ml penetrant/10L water).
CAUTION: when using any herbicide or pesticide PLEASE READ THE LABEL THOROUGHLY to ensure that all instructions and safety requirements are followed.
Get in touch with us at info@weedaction.org.nz if you would like some assistance in applying the above control techniques or equipment and herbicides to do so. We can supply any of the products or equipment needed, for free, thanks to support from Northland Regional Council.
