HAVE YOU SEEN THIS WEED? IPOMOEA TUBEROSA

Weeds on the HCPSL watch list:

Have you seen this weed?

Ipomoea tuberosa has been recently located in the Abergowrie area.

About the plant

Merremia tuberosa is a climbing vine that is native to Mexico and parts of central America that has become invasive on various Pacific islands and parts of the United States. The vine overgrows tall hardwood forest canopies and smothers native trees and shrubs. The plant is easily identified by its yellow flower and finger like leaf pattern.

The Issue

In the Abergowrie area the weed has inhabited riparian areas, killing trees that it has grown over.

The weed is also a significant problem in sugarcane fields climbing up plants and smothering cane. The plant has the opportunity to re-establish rapidly in the cane crop with multiple sprayings in a growing season to control the weed.