Podranea ricasoliana

Port St John creeper

Also known as:

Pink trumpet vine

Family: Bignoniaceae

Origin: South Africa

Close up of port St John's creeper flowers against a white background.
Woody stems are hardy and new plants can grow from stem fragments. The flowers can produce seed but most commonly spread through the dumping of garden waste.
Photo credit: Forest and Kim Starr

Regional Pest Management Plan (RPMP) status

  • Not a legally declared pest

View more about the RPMP statuses

General description

Perennial, rambling, hairless, evergreen, woody vine without tendrils. Leaves are glossy, deep green, serrated and compound, with 7-9 pointed leaflets.

Flowers are pink with darker pink veins, trumpet-shaped and borne in terminal clusters in December – March. Seed capsules are long, narrow, flattened and contain brown seeds in a papery wing.

What you need to know

Although Port St Johns creeper is not a legally declared pest plant, it may still be invasive in some situations. Consider lower-risk alternatives for your garden, such as native plants.

Habitats

Riparian margins, gardens, urban areas.

Dispersal

Sets seed. Vegetative spread from layering. Human-mediated dispersal through dumping of garden waste and deliberate plantings.

Impact on environment

Forms dense thickets, smothering other vegetation.

Control

Site Management

Cut and pull vines away from desirable trees and native plants before foliar spraying. Follow up treated areas 3 times per year. Encourage natural regeneration of native plants or replant treated areas where possible after 2-3 treatments to establish dense ground cover and minimise reinvasion.

Recommended approaches

Physical control

Method: Cut vines and leave upper stems to die in trees or dig out.

Plant parts requiring disposal: All parts (except vines if left to die in trees).

Disposal options: Compost in a composting weed bag or remove to greenwaste or landfill.

Biocontrol

Biocontrol is currently not available for this species.

Community agrichemical control recommendations

No qualifications:

For small infestations: Cut stump and paste freshly cut base of stems with metsulfuron gel.

Basic Growsafe certified:

For small infestations: Cut stump and spray freshly cut base of stems with 1g metsulfuron-methyl per 1L of water. Cut vines at waist height and foliar spray vines on the ground with 0.5g metsulfuron-methyl per 1L of water.

Certified Handler/Experienced agrichemical user:

For medium to large infestations: Cut vines at waist height and foliar spray vines on the ground with 5g metsulfuron-methyl per 10L of water and 20ml penetrant.

Caution: When using any herbicide or pesticide please read the label thoroughly to ensure that all instructions and safety requirements are followed.

Close up of port St John's creeper.
Also known as the Pink Trumpet vine, this rambling creeper produces large pink trumpet-like flowers. Not a legally declared pest but has the potential to become weedy.
Photo credit: Forest and Kim Starr
Port St John's creeper growing over other plants.
A perennial vine with many stems that can grow up and over native trees. It grows in a range of environments from stream edges to urban areas.
Photo credit: Su Sinclair
Close up of port St John's creeper flowers.
Flowers are pink with an orange stripy throat making them a garden favourite. Can become a problem when this plant escapes from a garden and invades into native forest.
Photo credit: Forest and Kim Starr