Buddleia

The semi-deciduous shrub is less than 3m tall, with small purple, pink or white flowers, visible between December and April. Buddleia seeds are dispersed by wind, water and through human-mediated dispersals such as dumping of garden waste.

Description

• Leaves are about 20x8cm.
• Flowers are small, purple, pink or white visible between December and April.
• Seeds are dispersed by explosive seedpods.
• Human-mediated dispersal through dumping of garden waste and deliberate plantings.
• Vegetative spread from suckering.
• Habitats include disturbed areas, riparian and forest margins, riverbeds, landslides, cliffs, regenerating forests, plantations, roadsides, and wastelands.

What you need to know

Forms dense thickets, displaces co-occurring species, and alters vegetation composition and succession.

Management approach

Community led

These organisms have not been legally declared as pests but may be of interest to the public as they occur regularly in the environment. They may be capable of causing adverse effects to the values of Waitaha/Canterbury.

Consider removing this invasive species from your property and consult your local council for appropriate disposal. Consider lower-risk alternatives for your garden, such as native plants.

Control

Site management

Follow up treated areas three times per year. Encourage natural regeneration of native plants or replant treated areas where possible after two to three treatments to establish dense ground cover and minimise reinvasion.

Physical control

Dig out.

Plant parts requiring disposal: seeds.

Contact your local council for appropriate disposal locations.

Chemical control

No qualifications: Cut stump and paste freshly cut base of stems with glyphosate gel.

Basic Growsafe certified: Cut stump and spray the freshly cut base with 100ml glyphosate per 1L of water.

Certified handler/experienced agrichemical user: Foliar spray with 100ml glyphosate per 10L of water and 20ml penetrant.

Caution: When using any herbicide or pesticide please read the label thoroughly to ensure that all instructions and safety requirements are followed.

Biological control

Check for the presence of buddleia leaf beetle (Cleopus japonicus).