Download Pampas - Waikato Regional Council

Biosecurity series – pest plant factsheet
Pampas: common and purple (and cultivars)
Cortaderia selloana and C. jubata
Exclusion
Eradication
Progressive containment
Other common names: Cutty grass
Sustained control
Site-led
Reduce the amount of pampas and limit the locations that have it.
WHY IT IS A PEST PLANT
Production threat
Environmental threat
Public threat
Pampas is a very invasive grass. Its leaves are razor-sharp hence its common name,
‘cutty grass’. It is a serious threat to some natural areas like sand dunes, stream banks
and coastal cliffs where it can completely replace native vegetation. It is a particular
problem on roadsides (reducing visibility), along railways, in quarries and in newly
planted forests. Pampas can be a fire risk due to the large amount of dry matter it
produces. It also harbours pests such as rats, mice, rabbits and possums.
There are two species of pampas in New Zealand – common pampas (Cortaderia
selloana) and purple pampas (C. jubata). Both species are native to South America.
Infestations of both species are now found throughout the Waikato. Common and
purple pampas are often confused with native toetoe (see identifying features for the
differences).
IDENTIFYING FEATURES
Native toetoe
•Drooping flower heads are creamyyellow.
Flower •Flowers October to January.
Fruit/
seed
Leaf
•No fruit but flowers produce large fluffy
seed heads.
•Tougher leaves and stems than pampas
– livestock unlikely to eat it.
•White, waxy covering on leaf bases.
•Veins visible between the midrib and
margin of leaves.
Purple pampas
•Flowering stems mostly purple, fading
to dull brown.
Flower •Flowers from February to April.
Fruit/
seed
Leaf
•No fruit but flowers produce large fluffy
seed heads.
•Leaf bases are not waxy.
•Dark green leaves, stout hollow stems.
•Easily torn leaves and stems make it an
attractive food for livestock.
www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/pampas
Common pampas
•Upright flowering stems are white, pink
or purple.
Flower •Flowers from February to April.
Fruit/
seed
Leaf
•No fruit but flowers produce large fluffy
seed heads.
•Upper side of leaf bluish-green.
•Leaves have serrated cutting edges.
•Leaf bases are not waxy.
•Easily torn leaves and stems make it an
attractive food for livestock.
Differences between pampas and native toetoe – flowering characteristics
NATIVE TOETOE
PAMPAS
Austroderia fulvida, A. richardii, A. toetoe, A. splendens
Common pampas including cultivars ‘gold stripe’ or
‘gold band’ Cortaderia selloana
Purple pampas C. jubata
FLOWERING TIME: October to January
FLOWERING TIME: February to April
FLOWERING TIME: February to April
FLOWER HEADS: Generally drooping, usually light
creamy-yellow.
FLOWER HEADS: Usually erect and dense. Colour
variable – generally white, pinkish or purplish.
Flowers with fluffy hairs (female) or hairless.
FLOWER HEADS: Erect, dense and very uniform.
Flowering stems mostly purple, fading to dull brown.
HEIGHT WHEN FLOWERING: Up to 6m
HEIGHT WHEN FLOWERING: Up to 6m
HEIGHT WHEN FLOWERING: Up to 3m
Differences between pampas and native toetoe – leaf characteristics
NATIVE TOETOE
PAMPAS
Austroderia fulvida, A. richardii, A. toetoe, A. splendens
Pampas
Toetoe
LEAF BASE: Has white waxy surface.
Wood shaving-like dead leaves at base of pampas.
Cortaderia selloana
Photo: Trevor James
C. jubata
Pampas
Toetoe
LEAF BASE: Smooth or sparsely hairy. No waxy
surface.
LEAF BASE: Generally very hairy (the base flower
stalk is too). No waxy surface.
LEAF TIPS: Large numbers visible at all heights above
ground level.
LEAF TIPS: Mainly at ground level and much less
visible.
LEAF SURFACE: Upper leaf surface bluish-green,
lower surface dark green.
LEAF SURFACE: Both leaf surfaces usually dark
green.
Do not snap readily.
Snap readily when given a sharp tug.
Midrib continues into leaf base.
Conspicuous midrib. Does not continue into leaf base.
Distinct secondary veins between midrib and leaf
edge.
No distinct secondary veins between midrib and leaf edge.
Dead leaves droop but do not form a spiral.
Dead leaf bases hang down and forms spirals. Plant builds up on a base of dead leaves, which resemble
wood shavings.
RESPONSIBILITY FOR CONTROL
North
All landowners/occupiers in some areas of the Waikato
are responsible for the control of pampas on their
property.
Landowners/occupiers in Taupō, South Waikato,
Rotorua, Waitomo and Ōtorohanga districts
are responsible for controlling pampas on their
properties. Pampas is also banned from being
sold, propagated, distributed or included in
commercial displays.
Thames
A science study supported by Waikato Regional
Council has shown that it is not feasible for the
council to place control programmes in warmer
coastal areas, where pampas is much harder to
control. Other landowners/occupiers (additional
to those in the areas listed above) are however
encouraged to control and/or remove these
plants from their properties where possible.
Port
Waikato
Hamilton
Tokoroa
Te Kūiti
Taupō
Legend
Total control
Site-led Programme
HOW TO CONTROL PAMPAS
MORE INFORMATION
Physical control
Advice
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Pampas can inflict nasty cuts, so wear gloves and protective clothing.
For young plants, the best option is to loosen the soil and pull them out.
For small infestations, cut the trunk or stems off as close to the ground as possible.
A digger or bulldozer can be used to remove big plants.
Physical control should be done before seeds form.
Leaf matter can be left on site, acting as mulch and shading out the seed bank.
•
Herbicide control
Herbicides are most effective on pampas during spring and early summer while it is
growing strongly. Spraying while the plants are flowering is less effective.
Cut stump treatment
• Plants can be slashed to about 30cm from the ground and the regrowth sprayed.
• Large mature clumps may require follow up control.
Spray application
• Very dense sites can be sprayed. Total coverage of the plant is required.
Safety when using herbicides
• Follow the instructions on the manufacturer’s label.
• Always wear protective clothing.
• Always minimise the risk to your other plants.
• Contact the supplier for further advice.
Summary of herbicides and application methods for control
HERBICIDE
APPLICATION
Glyphosate and penetrant
Spray
Haloxyfop and crop oil
Spray
Herbicide rules will apply. You may need to notify neighbours if spraying. The Waikato
Regional Plan explains the agrichemical (herbicides) use rule in section 6.2, online at
www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/regionalplan.
If applying herbicide over water, a resource consent may be required. Please check
with Waikato Regional Council before you begin.
Management
After initial control, it’s important to:
• clean out the site again at least annually to control regrowth
• stop weeds invading by replanting with non-pest plants (preferably native plants)
once regrowth is no longer a problem.
Waikato Regional Council
Private Bag 3038
Waikato Mail Centre
Hamilton 3240
For advice and additional
information on control methods,
call our pest plant staff on
freephone 0800 BIOSEC
(0800 246 732).
Chemical company
representatives, farm supply
stores and garden centres can
also be good sources for advice.
Publications
View, download or order the following
publications at www.waikatoregion.
govt.nz/publications or call our
freephone 0800 800 401.
• National Pest Plant Accord
(Manual of plants banned
from sale, propagation and
distribution) ($10.00 plus GST)
• Plant Me Instead! (Plants to use
in place of common pest plants)
(free)
• Poisonous Plants and Fungi
in New Zealand – A Guide for
Parents, Schools and Child
Minders (free)
• Waikato Regional Pest
Management Plan (RPMP) (free)
(Section 5.44, page 116)
• Waikato Regional Council pest
guide (free)
• What makes a pest a pest? A
summary of the Waikato Regional
Pest Management Plan (free)
Web
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www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/
pampas
www.weedbusters.org.nz
www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/rpmp
For more information call Waikato Regional Council’s freephone
0800 800 401 or visit www.waikatoregion.govt.nz.
Waikato Regional Council biosecurity factsheet series. Updated June 2015 (4283-0415)