Dusky coral pea

General description

Scrambling perennial leguminous vine. Stems are often hairy. Leaves are comprised of three leaflets less than 10 cm long and often hairy. Flowers are dark red/purple, pea-shaped and held in clusters in August – December. Pods are less than 10 cm long and borne in spring – summer.

What you need to know

To help protect our environment:

• You must not breed, distribute, release or sell dusky coral pea. As dusky coral pea 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 dusky coral pea 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 dusky coral pea 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

Open habitats, forest margins, roadsides, banks.

Dispersal

Seeds dispersed by gravity and water. Human-mediated dispersal through dumping of garden waste and deliberate plantings.

Impact on environment

Smothers native vegetation, particularly in open or forest edge habitat.

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.

Disposal options: Remove to greenwaste or landfill.

Biocontrol

Biocontrol is currently not available for this species.

Community agrichemical control recommendations

No qualifications: Cut stump and paste freshly cut base of stems with metsulfuron gel.

Basic Growsafe certified: Cut stump and spray freshly cut base with 1g metsulfuron-methyl per 1 L of water.

Certified Handler/Experienced agrichemical user: Foliar spray with 5g metsulfuron-methyl per 10L of water and 20ml penetrant.