May 2022 -Banana Passionfruit

Banana’s and Passionfruit are popular fruits to grow in your backyard right!? But please don’t plant Banana Passionfruit – in fact, if you see any DESTROY IT!

Whangārei Heads has such fertile soil and a warm climate for these tropical plants to flourish which makes it even more important to remain vigilant when checking your backyard. We need to ensure our native taiao remains intact for future generations. While the plant is attractive for its beauty and fruit, Banana Passionfruit has caused major concern in other parts of the country such as Otago and Southland which is why it is banned from sale, propagation and distribution in New Zealand and is classified as a National Pest Plant Accord species.

With at least 50 varieties of passionfruit having tasty fruit and many superior, banana passionfruit is not the best choice for the home garden. It has rapid growth (up to 10 metres) and is an aggressive vine that invades shrubland, open forest and light wells margins of intact bush where it smothers trees, reduces biodiversity and allows other weeds to invade. Grows rapidly in most soil types, and produces highly viable seed in 2 years. It’s partly tolerant to shade, damage and drought, and stems root where they touch the ground.

Method of removal:

• Roots are normally relatively easy to pull out of the ground
• If not possible, cut and pull vines away from desirable/native trees and plants before foliar spraying or cut and pasting.
• Follow up treated areas 3 times per year.

More information here: https://weedaction.org.nz/banana-passionfruit/