Senna septemtrionalis
Buttercup bush
Family: Fabaceae
Origin: Mexico, Central America
Regional Pest Management Plan (RPMP) status
- Hauraki Gulf Controlled Area Notice pest
- Whole region — Sustained control
General description
Shrub < 2 m tall. Leaves are pinnate. Flowers are yellow and borne in December – June. Seed pods are < 10 cm long and borne in December – August.
What you need to know
To help protect our environment:
- You must not breed, distribute, release or sell buttercup bush within the Auckland region.
- You must not plant buttercup bush within the Auckland region, unless you are transferring an existing plant on your land to another location within the boundaries of the same property.
- You must destroy any buttercup bush on land that you occupy if it has been planted in breach of the above rules and you are directed to do so by an authorised person.
Habitats
Disturbed sites, forest canopy gaps, scrub, riparian and forest margins, plantations, roadsides, gardens.
Dispersal
Seeds dispersed by wind, gravity, water. Human-mediated dispersal through dumping of garden waste, movement of contaminated soil, deliberate plantings.
Impact on environment
Dominates open, disturbed sites such as riparian margins, forest edges and scrub and excludes native vegetation.
Control
Site Management
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: Dig out.
Plant parts requiring disposal: Seeds.
Disposal options: Remove to greenwaste or landfill if practical.
Biocontrol
Biocontrol is currently not available for this species.
Community agrichemical control recommendations
No qualifications: Cut stump and paste freshly cut base of stems with metsulfuron gel.
Basic Growsafe certified: Cut stump and spray freshly cut base with 2g metsulfuron-methyl per 1 L of water.
Certified Handler/Experienced agrichemical user: Foliar spray 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.
