Download Ochna, Mickey Mouse Plant

WEEDS of BYRON SHIRE
Ochna, Mickey Mouse Plant
Ochna serrulata (Ochna atropurpurea)
Family OCHNACEAE Life Form Shrub
Origin
South Africa
Description
A shrub 2-3 m high. The
branches have numerous small
raised corky spots (lenticels).
Leaves oblong to narrowelliptic, margins toothed, often
undulate. Yellow flowers. Fruit
round, green initially, ripening
black, succulent on the red
expanded part of the stalk where
fruit attaches (receptacle) and
surrounded by the bright red
petal-like structures (sepals), 8
mm long, that are often mistaken
as Ochna’s flower.
Flowering time
Late summer to autumn
Fruiting time
No information
Impacts
Seedlings readily germinate
in the shade. Ochna will form
dense thickets and inhibit native
seedling regeneration.
Habitat
Dry and wet sclerophyll forest,
rainforest, riparian vegetation
Reproduction/dispersal
Seed, birds, gravity, humans
Weed status
Not listed
Locality notes
Widespread with localised
infestations on bushland
edges spreading from adjacent
gardens.
Similar Native Species
Streblus brunonianus
Whalebone, has a small green/
yellow fruit and more finely
tapering leaf tips
CONTROL METHODS for Ochna, Mickey Mouse
Plant
Methods
This plant has a deep taproot, which will reshoot if broken.
Seedlings: carefully handpull/dig up plant and ensure deep tap root is removed. Handpulling is best
undertaken in sandy or wet soils or with very small plants. Spot spray with glyphosate & water at 1:50
(20ml/L) & metsulfuron methyl at 1.5g/10L + non ionic surfactant.
Larger seedlings/saplings: do not spray out well and may require a second spray to completely kill.
Saplings/shrubs: Cut, scrape all round & paint (cut down low to near soil level) with metsulfuron
methyl & water at 1g/L + glyphosate & water at 1:1.5. For thin stemmed shrubs, it may be possible to get
more herbicide into the shrubs by scraping and painting the stem without cutting off. For large shrubs drill
down into cut and scraped stump to make a well and fill with the cut and paint mixture. Basal bark with
fluroxypyr (Starane ®) at 35ml/L with diesel.
Best season
No information
Permit
Covered by off label permit 9907 for use in areas of native vegetation to control noxious and environmental
weeds. Further detail available at http://permits.apvma.gov.au/PER9907.PDF
Byron Shire Council
PO Box 219 Mullumbimby NSW 2482
[email protected]
www.byron.nsw.gov.au/biodiversity
Last updated January 2010