What does it look like?
Chilean needle grass is an erect, tufted, clumping perennial grass that can grow up to one metre in height if left ungrazed. Its leaves are bright green to yellow (2-8 mm wide) and harsh to the touch. Large tufts shine in the light. It’s most easily identified from October to March, when it is seeding.
Seeds have a sharp needle like tip with long twisting tails and are a reddish-purple colour early in the seeding period (November). It later dries to a golden-brown colour (December and January). Chilean needle grass typically grows in dry, sunny areas.
Why is it a problem?
Chilean needle grass is an invasive weed that out-competes productive pasture grasses and takes over large areas if left uncontrolled, growing into dense stands. Its seeds have a sharp, needle like tip which attaches easily to stock and can penetrate skin and muscle. This can cause painful abscesses for the animal, and can lead to downgrading of hides, meat or wool. The seed can also injure horses and dogs. It’s unpalatable to stock when it’s seeding (November to January), reducing the stock carrying capacity on a property.
Chilean needle grass is widespread in Hawke’s Bay and Marlborough and has been found on a number of sites in Canterbury. Currently, Chilean needle grass infests approximately 3,700 hectares of land in New Zealand but has the potential to affect up to 15 million hectares nationwide.
Chilean needle grass seeds don’t spread well in the wind and usually drop near the plant they came from the parent plant. Animals, people, vehicles, machinery and equipment, water and soil, and contaminated feed can all move the seed.
Control methods
If you think you have found Chilean needle grass on your property, or think that you have brought in contaminated seed, stock or feed, please report it to us. A Biosecurity Advisor will help you identify the plant and will advise on control methods.
More information
What can I do to protect my property from Chilean needle grass?
By implementing farm biosecurity practices on your property, you can reduce the risk of Chilean needle grass establishing on your property.
Make sure you know what Chilean needle grass looks like and keep a look out for seeding plants from October until February. Make sure any feed that you purchase is free from Chilean needle grass and its seed.
Ensure vehicles, machinery, and equipment coming onto your property are free from soil and seed. If you’re concerned about the hygiene of machinery, equipment, or vehicles, ask that they are cleaned before entering your property.
Before purchasing or grazing stock on your property, ask where the stock have come from and if they could have come from a property with seeding Chilean needle grass.
For further information on Chilean needle grass, please contact us.
The Chilean Needle Grass Awareness Programme is a joint programme partnered by Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, Environment Canterbury, Marlborough District Council and the Ministry for Primary Industries
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
Sustained Control Programme
To provide for ongoing control of the subject, or an organism being spread by the subject, to reduce its impacts on values and spread to other properties.
Rules
Plan rule 10
No person shall make hay/silage during the months from November to March from a paddock that has, or has had, Chilean needle grass present. No person shall move any goods contaminated with Chilean needle grass seed beyond their property boundary.
Plan rule 9
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 destroy all Chilean needle grass on land that they occupy.
