Toxic Algae Warning
Pest plants or weeds are a threat to our native plants and animals. Find out about the programmes we have to help keep these problem plants in check.
Hutt City weeds
Although a weed is just a plant in the wrong place, what we call weeds are typically rapidly growing, invasive species that tend to overtake and exclude the desired plants.
In our bush reserves, the only desired plants are local indigenous species. Greater Wellington Regional Council does extensive prioritisation about what weeds need to be controlled and Hutt City Council follows their guidance.
Our city and its reserves have their own weeds that aren’t necessarily a priority for the whole region.
For at least the last 20 years Lower Hutt has been waging war on a particularly nasty invader: Old Man’s Beard or Clematis vitalba.
This work has been very effective in our city, and there are some people who still remember the “massive curtains” that used to smother our native bush.
Pest Plant Programme Weed List
You can find pest plants everywhere in Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai / Lower Hutt. They are found throughout our neighbourhoods and reserves. Hutt City Council controls five species of pest plants within the Lower Hutt area as a part of our Pest Plant Programme.
The five pest plants we currently target for control are:
Old Man’s Beard (Clematis vitalba)
Photo credit: Antonie van den Bos, www.botanypictures.com
Old man’s beard is a deciduous, woody, perennial climber that may reach 25 metres in height. Old man’s beard has five leaflets per leaf and should not be confused with any native species of clematis, which usually have only three leaflets per leaf. It produces small creamy white, fragrant flowers (2-3 centimetres diameter) from December to May, followed by grey, hairy seeds (2-3 millimetres long) with distinctive white plumes (3-4 centimetres long) in dense, fluffy clusters that persist over winter (hence the name: old man’s beard).
Cathedral Bells (Cobaea scandens)
Photo credit: Carolyn Lewis, www.weedbusters.org.nz
Cathedral bells is a fast-growing perennial climber that grows up to 10m high. Its corkscrew tendrils cling to supporting plants and structures. The oval leaves are arranged in opposite pairs and are light green with prominent purplish veins. Large, white or purple cup-and-saucer-shaped flowers are produced in the summer months, followed by green, oval seed pods 6-10cm long that split on ripening to release winged seeds.
Banana Passionfruit (Passiflora mixta, P. mollissima, P. tripartite)
Photo credit: Carolyn Lewis , www.weedbusters.org.nz
Banana passionfruit is a large evergreen perennial vine with glossy green leaves. It has large, hanging, pink tubular flowers up to 7 centimetres in diameter (from January-December) that ripen into long, thin yellow fruits (up to 12 centimetres long). Typical habitats are hedges, trees, plantations, roadsides, forest and scrub margins and waste places.
Climbing Asparagus (Asparagus scandens)
Photo credit: Carolyn Lewis, www.weedbusters.org.nz
Climbing asparagus is a scrambling or climbing perennial, with tuberous fleshy roots, thin scale-like leaves, red berries and long, usually white, solitary flowers.
Pampas grass (Cortaderia jubata and C. selloana)
Photo credit: Carolyn Lewis, https://www.weedbusters.org.nz
Pampas grass is a clump-forming grass up to 4m tall, with sharp leaves, erect dense fluffy white to purple flower heads that fade to dirty white or brown in cooler months.
Hutt City Council is currently tackling the issue of pest plants thought the following priority model:
- Priority 1 – Public places of high ecological value, e.g. public parks and reserves
- Priority 2 – Private land bordering reserves and forests of high ecological value, with any of the five pest plant species:
- old Man’s Beard
- cathedral Bells
- banana Passionfruit
- climbing Asparagus
- pampas
- Priority 3 – Public places of medium and low ecological value.
- Priority 4 – Private land infested with five identified pest plant species that does not border a reserve or forest.
Due to how widespread and fast developing these species are, control of pest plants on private land by landowners helps with their management in Lower Hutt. However, if you are a landowner whose property boundaries are shared with Hutt City Council reserves, Council will help with the control of the five pest plant species listed above if they are encroaching into your boundary.
If you are unsure what plant species are a problem to indigenous biodiversity or would like access information related to pest plants in Aotearoa, Weedbusters has a great tool to help identify pest plant species in your area. Their website also provides information relating to how to appropriately remove pest plants.
If you would like to check out the Greater Wellington Regional Pest Management Plan, click here.
Volunteer Projects
To help replace pest plants in our environment with indigenous plant biodiversity, Hutt City Council provides free native plants to volunteers and community groups to plant on public land through Council-approved restoration work.
Boundary Weed Control
- Hutt City Council aims to control weeds in our bush reserves. We focus on controlling the most damaging species.
- we provide a service to landowners whose boundaries are shared with our reserves.
- if weeds are encroaching from bush reserves, or have become a fire hazard, we will clear the boundary of weeds.
- if the areas are large enough we will replant appropriately-sized, ecosourced native species.
- to report a boundary weed problem, use Report a Problem.
For more information
Greater Wellington’s Regional Pest Management Plan
Contact details
Email: contact@huttcity.govt.nz
Telephone: 04 570 6666 | 0800 HUTT CITY (24/7 - 7 Days)