What does it look like?
Blue passionflower is a vigorous evergreen, high-climbing vine (6 metres or more) with long stems that are hairless and angular when young, with spiralling tendrils.
Leaves are very thin and 5-lobed almost to the base, with each lobe 3-8 cm long and narrow.
Whitish flowers (6-9 cm diameter) with a ring of purple filaments are visible December to April and are followed by hanging round fruit (3-5 cm diameter) that ripen from green to yellow, have small amounts of inedible pulp, and contain silver-brown seeds (4 mm long).
Why is it a problem?
It spreads into natural areas and smothers native plants, growing quickly and forming large masses in tree canopies. Light penetration is reduced as is seedling establishment. The seed is spread by birds and animals. It also grows from layering, where stems touch the ground, forming roots and new plants. It tolerates drought, physical damage and a range of temperatures.
Control methods
Physical control
- Pull roots up (all year round).
- Cut off above ground or tie stems in air to prevent contact with ground as they will take root.
Herbicide control
- Cut down and paint stump (all year round): glyphosate (200ml/L water) or metsulfuron-methyl 600g/kg (1g/L water) or a product containing 100g picloram+300g triclopyr/L (50ml/L water) or triclopyr 600 EC (100ml/L water). Or,
- Spray large masses on ground where roots cannot be pulled (spring-autumn): or triclopyr 600 EC (6ml/L water).
- CAUTION: When using any herbicide or pesticide, PLEASE READ THE LABEL THOROUGHLY to ensure that all instructions and safety requirements are followed.
More information
If you think you have found blue passionflower, you can email us at biosecurity@hbrc.govt.nz.
Images of Blue passionflower courtesy of Weedbusters.
Related links
Management Programme
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 informationNational Pest Plant Accord
All plants on MPI's National Pest Plant Accord (NPPA) are unwanted organisms under the Biosecurity Act 1993 whose formal or casual trade contributes significantly to their spread.
Plants on the Accord cannot legally be propagated, distributed, or sold in New Zealand. If allowed to spread further, these pest plants could seriously damage our economy and environment.
