T
here’s a plant lurking in local gardens, paddocks and roadside spots that may look harmless at first glance, but Woolly Nightshade, aka Tobacco weed or kerosene plant, is one pest plant worth getting rid of quick.
Native to South America, it’s a very fast growing, early maturing tree with large, soft, fuzzy, grey-green leaves and stems ,and purple flowers producing clusters of yellow berries with heaps of seeds inside. The berries are poisonous to people and can also be harmful to animals. It has a distinctive unpleasant smell and the foliage and stems can cause irritation to the nose, throat, eyes and skin, so cover up and you might need a mask if you have respiratory sensitivities.
Woolly nightshade seed can remain dormant in soil for 20 to 30 years, yes, you read that right. So you will need to return to the site for a long time to control seedlings. Also it exudes phytochemicals into the soil, acting as a deterent to other plants nearby it can eventually becoming the dominant species. You can see this happening locally.
The good news is that woolly nightshade can be managed. The first step is learning to recognise it and keeping an eye out for young plants before they have a chance to produce berries.
+ Small plants can often be pulled out by hand. Make sure you remove as much of the root as possible, as plants left behind can regrow.
+ Larger plants require cutting, but without dealing with the root system you may simply encourage fresh growth. Bamboo Buster gel herbicide from Harty’s works well. Cut low to the ground and wipe all over cut surfaces within 30 seconds of cutting.
+ If you have very big trees you can use the drill and fill method and leave them to die standing. This is recommended to avoid piles of material on the ground that you then need to navigate over on future control visits. Because you will need to go back, lots !
And remember: don’t spread the problem. Avoid moving soil, garden waste or machinery from an infested area to somewhere clean, and dispose of removed plants responsibly.
Check out www.weedbusters.org.nz for more pest plant control tips and plant ID and if you’re not sure reach out locally to Whaingaroaweedbusters@gmail.com
This monthly column is supported by Te Rekereke Taiao Trust through funding from Waikato Regional Council, helping share local knowledge, community action and practical advice around pest plant control and environmental restoration in Whāingaroa.
