What does it look like?
Saffron thistle is an annual thistle with woody stems, prominent spines and small yellow flower heads. The flower heads have a downy texture, but the seed is not spread by wind. The leaves grow in an arch and are sharply pointed with serrated edges.
Why is it a problem?
Saffron thistle is unpalatable to livestock, and infestations can reduce a property’s stock carrying capacity. Its sharp spines can work their way into an animal’s skin or wool, causing injury. The spines can also injure people shearing or handling wool.
Control methods
Control thistles by manually grubbing out individual plants, ensuring roots are removed to prevent regrowth, and use targeted herbicide treatments for larger infestations to effectively reduce spread and density.
Related links
Notify Council
If you think you've found this pest, please get in touch with our Biosecurity Team at biosecurity@hbrc.govt.nz or call us on 0800 108 838.
Management Programme
Progressive Containment Programme
There are a number of pests that are well established in the Hawke’s Bay region but their present infestation levels are still low enough for those levels to be reduced region-wide through a progressive containment programme. Progressive Containment programmes have the less specific aim of reducing levels of infestation within their respective management zones. While the general intent is to reduce these infestations to zero-levels at some time into the future, the primary focus of a progressive containment programme is to preventing a pest from spreading. For well-established pests whose harmful effects and spread can still be reduced, progressive containment offers the best ratio of cost to benefits.
The goal is to maintain a pest population at the lowest feasible level and confine it to a particular area while reducing numbers over time. In some cases this will result in fewer sites infested or in others the overall density of the pest will reduce over a 10 year duration period. Containment programmes usually target habitats of high ecological value that require protection and restoration.
Unwanted Organism
An unwanted organism is any organism that's capable of causing harm to natural or physical resources (like forests and waterways) or human health. A number of introduced pests in New Zealand are classed as unwanted.
More informationRules
Plan Rule 5
Except where an occupier of land has entered into a Written Management Agreement approved by Hawke's Bay Regional Council, an occupier of land shall;
a) destroy all apple of Sodom, Australian sedge, cotton thistle, Darwin's barberry, nassella tussock, saffron thistle, velvetleaf, and woolly nightshade plants on their land
b) destroy all Japanise honeysuckle plants on their land within the defined containment area
c) destroy all old man's beard plants on their land within the Kaweka and Ruahine Ranges buffer area and containment area.
Taxonomies
FamilyAsteraceae
TypePlants
GroupPerennial
HabitatLand
Management ProgrammeProgressive Containment ProgrammeUnwanted Organism
RulesPlan Rule 5
