Snow poppy

General description

Low growing perennial herb. Stems ooze orange sap when crushed. Leaves are small, oval, heart-shaped, leathery and scalloped. Flowers are four-petalled and white/yellow with golden stamens.

What you need to know

To help protect our environment:

• You must not breed, distribute, release or sell snow poppy. As snow poppy is a National Pest Plant Accord species, these restrictions apply within the Auckland region and across the whole of New Zealand.
• You must not plant snow poppy 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 snow poppy 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

Forests, moist soils.

Dispersal

Vegetative spread from rhizomes, stem and root fragments. Human-mediated dispersal through dumping of garden waste. Possibly spreads through seeds.

Impact on environment

Forms dense mats, smothering native vegetation and preventing native seedling establishment.

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: All parts.

Disposal options: Remove to greenwaste or landfill.

Biocontrol

Biocontrol is currently not available for this species.

Community agrichemical control recommendations

No qualifications: Foliar spray with 200ml glyphosate green per 10L of water.

Certified Handler/Experienced agrichemical user: Foliar spray with 200ml glyphosate green per 10L of water and 10ml penetrant.