What does it look like?
Cape tulip is a perennial herb in the iris family. It produces shoots in winter and dies back to an underground corm in early summer. Plants grow to 90cm tall, with a single strap-like leaf and a branched, zig-zagged flower stalk.
Flowers are 6-petalled, usually salmon pink with a band of deeper colour near the base of the petals. It can be with or without a yellow centre, but rarely all yellow or deeper red. Flowers are usually 5cm across. The seeds are produced in narrow, green capsules, up to 5cm long.
Cape tulip grows best in open environments like grasslands and pasture.
Why is it a problem?
Cape tulip has the potential to establish dense colonies over wide areas of pasture and could have serious economic impacts on agriculture if it becomes widely established.
Cape tulip reproduces by both corms and seeds (3000 to 6000 per plant). Corms may be abundant and occur to a depth of 30cm. They can remain dormant in the soil and in a viable state for at least eight years. The mature stems, which are brittle when dry, snap off and are blown by the wind, shedding seed from the capsules.
All parts of the Cape tulip (even when dead and dried) are extremely poisonous to humans and livestock. Consequently, establishment over extensive areas of agricultural land could have serious economic impacts. Symptoms of poisoning include gastroenteritis, thirst, paralysis, blindness, and heart and kidney failure.
The plant has the potential to establish dense colonies over wide areas of pasture. Corms may remain dormant in the soil for up to 8 years, making control of Cape tulip extremely difficult.
Control methods
The Cape tulip eradication programme requires treatment to kill or remove plants and corms. This can take several years. Sites are regularly inspected, and new growth is treated. Once no further growth is detected, the site is monitored for a further 5 years to ensure no viable plant material remains.
More information
Currently, Waikawa/Portland Island off Mahia Peninsula is the only known site in Hawke’s Bay and it receives regular control.
If you believe you have discovered Cape Tulip, please phone MPI’s Pest and Disease Hotline on 0800 809 966.
Related links
http://www.nzflora.info/factsheet/Taxon/Moraea-flaccida.html
https://www1.maf.govt.nz/uor-cgi/uor.pl/show?species_id=21751
https://www.weedbusters.org.nz/what-are-weeds/weed-list/cape-tulip
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
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.
National Interest Pest Responses programme (NIPR)
Nine harmful weeds are managed under the National Interest Pest Responses (NIPR) programme. These pests could cause serious harm to New Zealand's environment and economy if they are allowed to spread.
More informationTaxonomies
FamilyIridaceae
TypePlants
GroupGroundcover
HabitatLand
Management ProgrammeUnwanted OrganismNational Interest Pest Responses programme (NIPR)
