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Mirror bush (Coprosma repens)

Introduced to Australia as an ornamental hedge and coastal windbreak, mirror bush has naturalised mainly in coastal districts. It invades native vegetation, forming dense thickets, and is a declared plant in South Australia.

Key facts

Type: Weed, shrub.

Native to: New Zealand.

Established in: NSW, VIC, TAS, SA, WA.

Other names: Karamu.

Best time to act: Remove isolated plants before they produce fruit, which ripens mainly in summer.

Identification

  • A dense evergreen shrub or small tree, typically 1–4 m tall and occasionally reaching 8 m.
  • Its thick, leathery leaves grow in opposite pairs and are oval to oblong, with a very glossy dark green upper surface.
  • Small, inconspicuous greenish or cream flowers grow in clusters in the leaf axils; male and female flowers usually occur on separate plants.
  • Female plants produce fleshy orange to red berry-like fruits that ripen mainly in summer.

Where it grows

In Australia, mirror bush is naturalised mainly in coastal districts, where it invades dunes, coastal shrublands and woodlands.

Why it matters

  • It forms dense thickets that shade out and replace native shrubs and ground flora.
  • Infestations can alter vegetation structure and reduce the regeneration of native plant species.
  • It mainly impacts native vegetation rather than agriculture.

How it spreads

  • Birds eat the fleshy berries and disperse the seeds, which can spread from garden plantings into nearby bushland.
  • Seeds may also spread through dumped garden waste or movement of soil containing seed.

Control options

  • Hand-pull or dig out small plants, making sure to remove the roots.
  • For larger shrubs, cut the stem and apply registered herbicides to the stump.
  • Monitor treated sites for seedlings, as birds can reintroduce seed.
  • Avoid planting mirror bush cultivars near bushland; biological control agents are not currently available for this species.

Hygiene and washdown

  • Do not dump garden waste in bushland or coastal areas.
  • Avoid moving soil that may contain mirror bush seed.
  • Inspect and clean vehicles, plant and footwear before leaving an infested area, paying attention to tyres, radiators, belly plates, tracks and floor mats.
  • Wash down at a designated bay where runoff is contained and can be monitored for seedlings.
  • Record each washdown so the client has evidence of clean entry and exit.

Classification by state

  • Australia (national): No national listing. Managed under state and territory law.
  • Queensland: Not prohibited or restricted. Not listed as prohibited or restricted matter in Queensland. Everyone must also take all reasonable and practical steps to minimise its risks (the general biosecurity obligation).
  • New South Wales: Not a priority weed. Not a state or regional priority weed in NSW. The general biosecurity duty applies: anyone dealing with it must prevent, eliminate or minimise the risk it poses.
  • Victoria: Not declared. Not declared under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994. Other Victorian laws may still apply.
  • South Australia: Declared plant. Depending on the declaration, it can be an offence to move it on public roads or sell it, and landowners may be required to control it on their land.
  • Western Australia: Permitted, not declared. Listed as a permitted organism in WA, so it can be brought in, but it is not a declared pest.
  • Tasmania: Not declared. Not a declared weed in Tasmania. Other laws may still apply.
  • Northern Territory: Check NT list. There is no NT weed profile for it. Check the NT declared weeds list for its current status.
  • Australian Capital Territory: Not declared. Not declared under the Biosecurity Act 2023 (ACT). A general biosecurity duty still applies.

Legal obligations

Every state and territory places a duty on landholders and people working on land to prevent the spread of invasive species, such as the general biosecurity obligation in Queensland and the general biosecurity duty in New South Wales. Declarations and control requirements differ between states and local government areas, so check the current official list before work starts.

  • New South Wales: Biosecurity Act 2015 (NSW), administered by NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
  • Victoria: Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 (Vic), administered by Agriculture Victoria
  • Tasmania: Biosecurity Act 2019 (Tas), administered by Biosecurity Tasmania
  • South Australia: Landscape South Australia Act 2019 (SA), administered by the regional landscape board
  • Western Australia: Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007 (WA), administered by the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development

Sources