Additions To Banned Plant List Announced
Under an agreement between government, regional councils and the nursery industry, 13 plants have been confirmed as pests and added to a list of species that are illegal to propagate, distribute or sell. The National Pest Plant Accord (NPPA) - was created in 2001 to help prevent the spread of invasive plant species through the nursery trade or casual trading. Government agencies with biosecurity responsibilities and the Nursery and Garden Industry Association (NGIA) are parties to the Accord.
Plants are identified by the parties, the public and a technical advisory group. Following consideration by a group of specialists, discussion by a group of Accord members and public consultation, agreed species are added to the register.
All plants on the NPPA register are unwanted organisms under the Biosecurity Act 1993 and cannot be sold, distributed or actively propagated. Existing plants are allowed on private properties. All listed plants are considered invasive and threaten NZ’s existing plant life. The plants added to the register are:
Asparagus plumosus - asparagus fern
Carex pendula - drooping sedge, Otahuna sedge
Cestrum aurantiacum - orange cestrum
Cestrum elegans - red cestrum
Cestrum fasciculatum - red cestrum, early jessamine
Cestrum nocturnum - queen of the night
Clerodendrum trichotomum - clerodendrum
Juglans ailantifolia - Japanese walnut
Kennedia rubicunda - dusky coral pea, coral pea, running postman
Maytenus boaria - Chilean mayten, mayten, maiten
Passiflora apetala - bat-wing passion flower
Pithecoctenium crucigerum - monkey’s comb, monkey’s hairbrush
Polypodium vulgare - polypody, common polypody
All species in the NPPA species list are in the 2012 NPPA manual which can be accessed online and will be available in hard copy form from regional councils nationwide in August 2012. The public can make a submission to have plants considered for inclusion/exclusion on the Accord.
For further information, contact: Lesley Patston, Ph 04 - 894-163 or 029 8940163