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Monkey's comb (Pithecoctenium crucigerum)

Monkey's comb is a fast-growing woody vine that forms dense infestations and smothers and outcompetes other plants. It has been found in NSW and can reduce food and shelter for native animals.

Key facts

Type: Weed, vine and creeper.

Native to: Central and South America and the Caribbean.

Established in: QLD, NSW.

Other names: white trumpet vine.

Identification

  • A fast-growing climbing vine with tendrils and opposite pairs of leaves.
  • Leaves have 2–3 soft, bright-green leaflets; the third leaflet is often replaced by a coiled tendril.
  • Leaflets are oval to heart-shaped, 2.5–8 cm long and 2–6 cm wide, on stalks 2–11 cm long.
  • In summer, it has fleshy, hairy, tube-shaped flowers that are white or creamy yellow outside and yellow inside, up to 5 cm long and 2 cm wide.
  • Young stems are hairy, ribbed and six-sided; older stems are thick, woody and not ribbed.
  • Look-alike: Orange trumpet creeper (Pyrostegia venusta) has orange flowers, while monkey's comb has white or creamy yellow flowers.
  • Look-alike: Argentine trumpet vine (Clytostoma callistegioides) has pale lavender flowers; both lookalikes have narrower leaves than monkey's comb.

Where it grows

In NSW, monkey's comb has been found in the North Coast and Greater Sydney regions, including disturbed areas, roadsides, waterways and forest edges in warm temperate, tropical and subtropical climates.

Why it matters

  • It smothers and can kill other plants.
  • It grows into tree canopies, limiting growth and weighing down branches.
  • Dense ground mats outcompete ground covers and seedlings.
  • It can reduce food and shelter for native animals.

How it spreads

  • New plants can grow from stem fragments that root when they contact soil.
  • People can spread it by dumping garden waste, and floods can carry it in waterways.
  • Fruit has not been found on monkey's comb in Australia.

Control options

  • Do not plant it; remove plants, check for regrowth and do not dump garden waste.
  • Small plants can be hand-pulled or dug out; avoid leaving stem fragments in contact with soil and ask the local council for disposal advice.
  • Approved methods include spot spraying where the vine is not climbing over desirable plants, and splatter guns for dense infestations that are difficult to reach.
  • Basal bark treatment is described for stems up to 5 cm in diameter; cut, scrape and paint and herbicide wipers are also described.

Hygiene and washdown

  • Avoid moving stem fragments, which can root when they contact soil, and do not dump garden waste.
  • Dispose of removed plant material appropriately; contact the local council for disposal advice.
  • 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: Regional priority in 1 of 11 regions. Regional priority weed in North Coast. 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: Not declared. Not declared under the Landscape South Australia Act 2019. Other laws may still apply.
  • Western Australia: Not listed. Not found in the Western Australian Organism List. Check with DPIRD before moving or keeping it.
  • 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.

  • Queensland: Biosecurity Act 2014 (Qld), administered by Biosecurity Queensland (13 25 23)
  • New South Wales: Biosecurity Act 2015 (NSW), administered by NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development

Sources