Montbretia

General description

Clump-forming perennial herb. Leaves are sword-shaped and < 90 cm tall. Flowers are orange, overtop foliage and are borne in January – February.

What you need to know

To help protect our environment:

• You must not breed, distribute, release or sell montbretia within the Auckland region.
• You must not plant montbretia within the Auckland region, unless you are transferring an existing plant on your land to another location within the boundaries of the same property.
• You must destroy any montbretia on land that you occupy if it has been planted in breach of the above rules and you are directed to do so by an authorised person.

Habitats

Riparian margins, roadsides, ditches, wastelands, grassland.

Dispersal

Seeds dispersed by water. Vegetative spread from rhizomes and corms, dispersed by water. Human-mediated dispersal through movement of contaminated soil.

Impact on environment

Forms dense stands and excludes native vegetation.

Control

Site Management

Follow up treated areas 3 times per year. Encourage natural regeneration of native plants or replant treated areas where possible after 2-3 treatments to establish dense ground cover and minimise reinvasion.

Recommended approaches

Physical control

Method: Dig out.

Plant parts requiring disposal: Seeds, rhizomes and corms.

Disposal options: Remove to greenwaste or landfill if practical.

Biocontrol

Biocontrol is currently not available for this species.

Community agrichemical control recommendations

Basic Growsafe certified: Foliar spray with 100ml glyphosate green per 10L of water after flowering.

Certified Handler/Experienced agrichemical user: Foliar spray with 100ml glyphosate green and 4g metsulfuron-methyl per 10L and 20ml penetrant at full leaf stage.