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Pampas lily-of-the-valley (Salpichroa origanifolia)

Naturalised in temperate parts of southern Australia, Pampas lily-of-the-valley can smother shrubs and other small plants. It competes with native plants and can affect the structure and composition of coastal woodlands in Victoria.

Key facts

Type: Weed, herb.

Native to: Temperate South America, including south-eastern Bolivia, Paraguay, southern Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina.

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

Other names: Pampas Lily of the Valley, Lily of the Valley Vine.

Best time to act: It flowers mainly in summer; in cooler areas, above-ground growth may die back in autumn and winter, with new growth developing from the crown and lateral roots in late winter and spring.

Identification

  • It is a scrambling, sometimes vine-like perennial herb with a stout rootstock and shallow rhizomes that produce suckers; stems can grow up to 3 m long.
  • Its alternate leaves, sometimes paired and unequal in size, are oval or trowel-shaped, 10–15 mm long and 5–13 mm wide, with sparse to dense hairs on both sides.
  • Small white, bell-shaped or urn-shaped flowers hang singly or in pairs from the leaf axils and are 6–8 mm long.
  • Its cone-shaped fruits are dull white or pale yellow when ripe, 13–18 mm long, and contain several disc-shaped seeds.
  • Look-alike: Boxthorn (Lycium ferocissimum) has somewhat similar flowers and leaves, but it is an erect woody shrub with rigid thorny branches, pale lilac trumpet-shaped flowers and red fruits.

Where it grows

In Australia it is naturalised chiefly in Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia, with scattered records in Western Australia, the ACT, Queensland and Tasmania, often in open disturbed places, sandy soils, riverbanks, derelict gardens and coastal vegetation.

Why it matters

  • It can compete strongly with native herbs, grasses and shrubs.
  • It has a considerable impact on the structure and composition of coastal woodlands in Victoria.
  • Its vigorous root system can survive long dry periods and recover quickly when moisture returns.
  • There is no recorded agricultural impact, though it occurs as a garden escape in urban and rural areas.

How it spreads

  • Birds may disperse its seeds; rats and ants disperse them to a lesser extent.
  • Root segments are spread by roadworks and dumping of garden waste.

Control options

  • Manual removal is the best method for effective control.
  • Bag all vegetative material and dispose of it appropriately, preferably by destroying it.
  • Registered herbicides are generally ineffective on established plants: they may kill above-ground growth but have virtually no effect on the extensive root system.

Hygiene and washdown

  • Avoid moving or dumping plant material, as root segments can spread through roadworks and garden-waste dumping.
  • 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: Regionally prohibited / regionally controlled / restricted weed (varies by region). Where it is regionally prohibited, landowners must take all reasonable steps to eradicate it on their land. Where it is regionally controlled, landowners must take all reasonable steps to prevent its growth and spread on their land. Where it is a restricted weed, trade in it (including the plant, its seed or contaminated material) is prohibited.
  • South Australia: Not declared. Not declared under the Landscape South Australia Act 2019. Other laws may still apply.
  • 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: Declared weed. Property managers are required by law to control declared weeds, and their import and sale are prohibited.
  • Northern Territory: Not declared. Not on the NT A to Z weed list, and Weeds Australia does not list it as declared in the NT. Check the NT declared weeds list before moving or planting it.
  • 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
  • Australian Capital Territory: Biosecurity Act 2023 (ACT), administered by ACT Biosecurity
  • 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